BACOLOD CITY — The city’s 61 barangays are vying for awards in the local “Search for the Cleanest, Greenest, and Most Well-Managed Solid Waste Management (SWM) Program”.
Some 27 barangays took part in a motorcade Tuesday afternoon before the launch of the program at the Bacolod public plaza.
Mayor Evelio Leonardia, who led city officials during the program launch, stressed the importance of a “clean and green city” to draw investors.
“When the city is clean, when the city is beautiful, we can attract investors,” he said.
“If our city is clean, we will be healthier. Health is a very important aspect of our well-being. And more important than all of these is our environment that we should always protect,” the mayor added.
Also present were Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, head of the Solid Waste Action Team, and Councilor Cindy Rojas, chairperson of the City Council’s committee on environment and ecology.
The city officials were joined by village chiefs and councilmen of the 27 barangays in signing a pledge of commitment.
In the manifesto, the barangay representatives expressed their “sincere commitment and support to the City’s Clean, Green and Most Well-Managed Solid Waste Management Program, (and) to do everything possible to assist the city government in its effort towards the realization of a cleaner, greener, and healthier Bacolod”.
Rojas said the contest is open to the city’s 61 barangays, which will be judged in June, September, and November this year.
Winners will be awarded in November as part of the celebration of Environment Awareness Month.
The search has two categories — Urban or numbered barangays, and Rural or named barangays.
The villages will be judged based on general cleanliness and environment-friendly practices (55 percent); space greening (35 percent); and support system (10 percent).
For the Rural Barangay category, the prizes are: first place, PHP350,000 worth of projects; second, PHP250,000 worth of projects; third, PHP200,000 worth of projects; fourth, PHP150,000 worth of projects; fifth, PHP100,000 worth of projects; and 10 consolation prizes of PHP20,000 worth of projects each.
For the Urban Barangay category, the prizes are: first place, PHP300,000 worth of projects; second, PHP200,000 worth of projects; third, PHP150,000 worth of projects; fourth, PHP100,000 worth of projects; fifth, PHP50,000 worth of projects; and 30 consolation prizes of PHP15,000 worth of projects each.(PNA)
