The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has released a PHP1.9-million grant intended for the solid waste management of generated plastics and glass in Catanduanes province.
In an interview on Wednesday, DOST Catanduanes Director Marie Grace Molina said the local government unit (LGU) of Virac received the amount early this week through the agency's Grants in Aid (GIA) project.
"The GIA fund is the immediate intervention of DOST to help the LGU in their goal in proper waste management and for the establishment of eco-park in Virac town," Molina said.
Asked why in Virac, Molina said it is "the central business of the island province with a huge amount of waste that can be converted to valuable products".
Molina said the project wants to mechanize the processing of collected wastes by converting them into valuable products.
"It will also enhance the knowledge and technical capacity of barangay officials on the system, material recovery facilities operation, proper segregation, among others," she said.
The grant will be used for the procurement of one unit glass pulverizing machine, one unit styro plastic densifier, and one set of brick maker and hollow block machine.
"After we gave them the money, they will be the one to procure and after a year the said machines will be owned by the LGU," Molina added.
She also said that they would continue to monitor the machines if these were really purchased and being used in the intended project.
Molina also said the LGU of Virac will establish an eco-park that will display the valuable products that were created from the segregated waste.
DOST-Catanduanes will also provide capacity building to implement the project.
Molina said their agency is open to accommodating other LGUs that want to ask for grants.
Source: Philippines News Agency
