kaban galing - front cover - galing pook

Government Takes Action
BALAK aimed to (a) guide, control and regulate the generation, storage,
collection, transport and disposal of solid waste within the locality and
promote an orderly and sanitary system; (b) enhance the total
environment of the community through control and mitigation of negative
environment impacts of solid waste; (c) promote and protect the health,
safety, peace, convenience and general welfare of the inhabitants of the
municipality; and (d) minimize generation of solid waste and maximize
possible resource recovery, recycling and utilization.
Strategy
The program employed the following strategies:
a. Enhance the technical and program management capability to
advocate and implement integrated solid waste management (ISWM)
program;
b. Mobilize and maintain a broad-based and active community
support and participation;
c. Establish and maintain the appropriate engineering and physical
facilities for ISWM; and
d. Streamline the ISWM policies and strengthen the mechanisms
and processes of policy enforcement.
A multi-pronged action program was also undertaken to solve the
inter-related problems of traffic congestion in the central business district,
inefficient operation of the public market, and efficient garbage collection.
A traffic rerouting scheme with segregated parking and loading zones
for public transport vehicles was established. There was also strict
enforcement of the transport vehicles trashcan requirement. The program
also entailed the demolition of illegal sidewalk market stalls and strict
prohibition of sidewalk and itinerant vending around the market area.
Garbage collection also became regular.
The People Weigh In
With BALAK in place, all the business establishments and all households
now practice waste segregation at source and at least 70% of
households now practice backyard composting. This has reduced the
volume of garbage from an estimated 2,700 metric tons per year (at an
average per capita of .05 kilogram) to only 1,150 metric tons. The
widespread practice of garbage segregation at source also facilitated
Rule of Law Saves a Town 97