Materials Recovery Facility operates at Bonga, Ligao City

As mandated under the Republic Act No. 9003, also known as the Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, the City Government of Ligao constructed the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) at Bonga, Ligao City which began operating on May 2014 under the governance of Mayor Patricia Gonzalez-Alsua. The law aims to “ensure the protection of the public health and environment.”

The law also states that “the MRF shall receive mixed waste for final sorting, segregation, composting, and recycling.” MRFs are constructed either in each barangay or in a specific location that serves a cluster of barangays. In Ligao City, the MRF covers a cluster of 23 barangays including Nasisi, Batang, Layon, Paulog, Tuburan, Calzada, Dunao, Tinago, Bagumbayan, Guilid, Binatagan, Tomolin, Bonga, Sta. Cruz, Tagpo, Cavasi, Tinampo, Ranao-Ranao, Pandan, Allang, Paulba, and Pinit.

Furthermore, the collection and segregation of solid wastes shall be conducted at barangay level in which the collection of non-recyclable materials and special wastes is the responsibility of the city. The local government unit has also started implementing the segregation of solid wastes at barangay level to facilitate the final segregation of solid waste materials in the MRF.

City Environment and Natural Resources Officer Maria Soledad T. Preña also explained that after segregation, recyclable and reusable materials are sold to junk shops while compostable wastes or biodegradable wastes undergo composting process within the facility.

Segregation facilities such as the MRF are significant in minimizing the accumulation of solid wastes, thereby protecting the environment and preventing health hazard to the community. This also promotes recycling and re-using of materials as well as awareness on proper disposal of solid waste materials in a barangay-level.

The MRF was constructed during the administration of former Mayor Linda P. Gonzalez and is now being managed by the City Environment and Natural Resources Office.


Written by Lala Peñafiel

Heat is over; Albay gears up for rainy season

Rains have started pouring down and dry season is almost over. With the onset of the rainy season, Albay- a typhoon-prone area- has to prepare for the expected frequent rains brought by the season.

Albay 3^rd District Congressman Fernando V. Gonzalez explained that with the expected rains, it is necessary that these rains be made useful to irrigate agricultural lands such as rice fields. “What is essential now and necessary is how best we can make use of the rains that are expected to arrive soon,” said Congressman Gonzalez.

Water resources such as rain are mostly needed in drought-prone rice fields. Hence, the rainy season is an opportunity to irrigate the rice fields and not to flood communities. “These rains must be directed towards irrigating our rice fields which are now starving for water. Should we fail to manage these expected rains and bring them to our rice fields, all these rainfall shall not be properly used,” explained Congressman Gonzalez.

PHOTO: (Top) The irrigation dam at Catburawan, Ligao City will serve as irrigation system for farms at Badian, Oas and Catburawan, Ligao City. (Bottom) The recently finished irrigation system will irrigate the farms at Allang, Ligao City.

To ensure the delivery of the water resource from rainfall, water distribution and irrigation systems were built and now being maintained in the different areas of Albay 3^rd District. “In order to ensure that these rains reach the rice field…it is necessary that all irrigating canals, water impounding units, and dams are all functioning and ready to distribute the water and irrigate the rice fields,” said Congressman Gonzalez.

One of the flood control dikes in the 3rd District of Albay is constructed in a flood-prone area at Oas, Albay.
More photos of flood control dikes

The water distribution systems were built in flood-prone areas to prevent flood from devastating communities. These water resources are instead directed to drought-prone areas especially the rice fields which are not properly irrigated. “Failure in our distribution systems shall cause the wastage of the water from the rains since it will not be directed into the rice fields but into areas where it is not necessary or needed. Therefore, the major objective now during this period is ensuring that our rain water, that our expected and upcoming rains shall be fully utilized to irrigate our rice fields and not to flood our residential,” according to Congressman Gonzalez.

Related article:
Albay 3rd District flood control dikes: protecting communities against loss of lives and properties

City turns over 2-storey building to Ligao East Central School

The City Government of Ligao turned over the newly constructed two-storey building to Ligao East Central School.
Photos by Dante Dayandante

The City Government of Ligao turned over the two-storey building with 12 classrooms to Ligao East Central School (LECS) on June 6, 2014. Lead by City Mayor Patricia Gonzalez-Alsua and Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Evangeline P. Palencia, the symbolic key was turned over to LECS Principal Alex M. Alano.

The construction of the two-storey building began during the administration of former Ligao City Mayor Linda P. Gonzalez. According to her, the vertical construction of the two-storey school facility was the best strategy they could have since LECS has very limited space.

Congressman Fernando V. Gonzalez also congratulated the City Government of Ligao for having the project accomplished. The cityhood of Ligao paved the way to many opportunities including higher budget allocation to the local government, according to Congressman Gonzalez. This also gave way to many opportunities for facility improvements and government projects including the replacement of old and obsolete classrooms.

Dr. Palencia also extended her commitment to work hard to maintain the good standing of Ligao City. She also mentioned that Ligao City is getting high results in the National Achievement Test (NAT) and it has gathered the most gold medals among other divisions in Region V during the Palarong Pambansa.

Beside the two-storey building is an on-going construction of additional ten classrooms for the school. Each classroom has a capacity of at least 25-35 students.

PhilRice-Bicol inaugurates warehouse and seed processing facilities; celebrates Farmers Field Day

ON STAGE: (left to right) PhilRice Executive Director Dr. Eufemio T. Rasco, Ligao City Mayor Patricia Gonzalez-Alsua, RTD for Operations and Extension Elena delos Santos, Albay 3rd District Congressman Fernando V. Gonzalez, Former Ligao City Mayor Linda P. Gonzalez, and PhilRice Board of Trustees Dr. Teodoro Mendoza

Being one of the newly constructed Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) station, PhilRice-Bicol inaugurated its warehouse and seed processing facilities, and celebrated Farmers Field Day on June 2, 2014. The celebration highlighted the role of PhilRice Bicol in helping farmers achieve high income and high production. The event was themed “PhilRice Bicol: Satuyang Bag-ong Katabang sa Pag-abot Kan 1-Milyon Kita Kada Ektarya Kada Taon [PhilRice Bicol: Our new partner in achieving 1-Million income per hectare per year]”

Regional Technical Director for Operations and Extension of DA-RO5 Elena de los Santos said that despite being the smallest branch of PhilRice, the Bicol station has the potential for rice-based Agri-Biosystem. She also stressed that the establishment of PhilRice Bicol at Ligao is favorable to the Department of Agriculture (DA).

However, former Ligao City Mayor Linda P. Gonzalez lightheartedly disagreed, as it is more favorable for Ligao to be the home ground of PhilRice Bicol. She said that since the time of former Mayor Fernando V. Gonzalez- now Congressman of Albay Third District- it has already been planned to have PhilRice Bicol situated at Ligao City. Through the collaborative efforts of local government officials and personnel, the station was successfully established at Batang, Ligao City on March 25, 2010.

Mayor Linda Gonzalez also sought the agreement of PhilRice on the potential of PhilRice-Bicol to become one of the central experiment stations by achieving additional experimental fields.

PhilRice Executive Director Eufemio T. Rasco also shared significant information on the best starting point in rice farming. He explained the importance of mushroom vermiculture and the use of nucleus state strategy in which the agricultural services are initially offered on the surrounding barangays.

Furthermore, Congressman Fernando V. Gonzalez also emphasized the importance of technology transfer which is one of the primary roles of the PhilRice Bicol. Farmers should be guided with the knowledge and skills on the application of technology innovations. It is then the role of PhilRice Bicol to facilitate the technology transfer from and to stakeholders in order to achieve high production and high income.

Congressman Gonzalez, being a representative of Albay in the Congress, also expressed his commitment in helping PhilRice-Bicol fulfill its mission and develop agricultural research in Bicol.

PhilRice-Bicol focuses on rice research with emphasis to climate change. However, Dr. Reynaldo Castro, branch manager of PhilRice Bicol, said that the station also covers areas of rice research that address the needs of Bicol farmers.

Related articles:

PhilRice Bicol: Opening opportunities for Bicolanos and the agricultural sector

PhilRice Bicol station operates at Ligao City