GENERAL SANTOS CITY (26 November 2013) - In line with the "CLEAN Gensan" platform (Creating a Livable Environment for All towards Nation Building) of City Mayor Ronnel Rivera, the Japan Social Development Fund (JSDF) together with local government of General Santos City initiated the Social Inclusion and Alternative Livelihoods for the Informal Waste Sector Project.
The project would benefit more than 700 sanitation workers.
During the project conference on November 20 at Lagao Gymnasium, Mayor Rivera, together with the representatives from Solid Waste Management Association of the Philippines (SWAAP), met the beneficiaries and thanked them for taking part in the project.
Rivera stated the significance of the project to the sanitation workers especially those that will be affected by the closure of the dumpsite in Barangay Tambler, in accordance to RA 9003 or Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.
"It is important that the local government of General Santos City engage in public private partnership so that we can maximize our potential to create sustainable livelihoods for our constituents," said Rivera.
Present in the conference were Edna Soriano, project consultant from the World Bank which funded the project, and Aileen Tolimao, executive director of Small and Medium Enterprises Development (SMED) in Region 12.
Also part of the Technical Working Group of the project came from the selected agencies of the city government and from the RD Foundation Inc..
The objectives of the project are to improve the livelihood and facilitate social inclusion of the informal waste sector, cooperatives and their communities through the development of alternative livelihood and opportunities; and to incorporate them into the formal solid waste management sector within the duration of June 18, 2012 to August 15, 2014.
As of now, the only beneficiary officially registered as a People's Organization (PO) in General Santos City is the Earth Saver's Association (ESA).
According to SWAAP, there are 10 areas in the Philippines which were targeted by the grant, namely Bacolod City, Butuan City, Cabanatuan City, General Santos City, Legaspi City, Naga City, Pili Municipality of Camarines Sur, Polangul Municipality of Albay, Surigao City and Tabaco City.
In the SWAAP development outcome indicators, at least 25% of participating informal recyclers were provided with livelihood opportunities outside of waste industry which shows a 20% increase in average income of informal recyclers from project-related resources. (GENSAN INFO OFFICE/Ian John Lagare)
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