Padre Garcia Advances Waste Management with Modern Fertilizer Production Technology
PADRE GARCIA, BATANGAS – In an innovative step towards sustainable solid waste management, the municipal government of Padre Garcia has embraced modern technology to transform discarded items into useful products, focusing on the production of fertilizers. The initiative, which is part of the town’s broader zero-waste campaign, aims to convert all types of solid waste into serviceable fertilizer using special enzymes.
According to Philippines News Agency, the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Officer, this initiative was launched to encourage community participation in waste segregation and support the town’s cleanliness campaign. A newly established Resource Recovery Facility (RRF) in Padre Garcia is at the forefront of this effort, housing advanced equipment for waste management and serving as a model for the town’s environmental sustainability efforts.
The RRF’s primary mission is to process solid waste into organic fertilizer, with a particular focus on utilizing cow manure, which is abundantly available in the town known as the ‘Cattle Trading Capital of the Philippines.’ The town produces 24 cubic meters of cow manure every month, which is now being repurposed to support local agriculture.
Kasilag highlighted that the project is a direct response to Mayor Michael Rivera’s vision to maintain the cleanliness and orderliness of Padre Garcia through a zero-waste approach. The initiative also aligns with national efforts to promote sustainability, incorporating the town’s waste segregation and composting practices into the “Hapag kay PBBM” vegetable garden project.
Further enhancing the town’s waste management capabilities, Kasilag announced plans to construct a building to house a Japan-technology carbonizer machine and the launch of a mechanized clean-up rover within the year. These steps underscore the local government’s commitment to enforcing environmental laws and maintaining the town’s cleanliness.
The enforcement of this initiative is supported by various municipal ordinances against littering, vandalism, and dumping, with eco-leaders deputized in every barangay to monitor the implementation of these projects closely.
Former Mayor Michael Rivera reflected on the success of these environmental efforts, attributing it to the discipline and responsibility of the local community towards their environment. He emphasized that these campaigns are part of a long-term vision to elevate the quality of public services and serve as a model of progress and human welfare improvement in Batangas.