Irisan Barangay Environmental Management & Protection

26/03/2021

"Our relationship with the natural world is dangerously imbalanced. Recently, a series of catastrophic events – wildfires, extreme weather, locust plagues and the COVID-19 pandemic have shaken the world and we are still dealing with the unprecedented, tragic socio-economic, health and humanitarian consequences.

SWITCH OFF AT 8:30PM FOR EARTH HOUR

It is clearer than ever that our future and the future of our planet are intrinsically linked and both are under threat. 2020 has proved to us that nature is essential for our existence and intact natural systems are imperative to all our futures. What we do to nature - we do to ourselves. We need to urgently mend our broken relationship with nature."

Earth Hour 2021 will be a key moment to unite people to speak up for nature. Earth Hour will take place on 27 March 2021 at 8:30pm local time.

We ask everyone to switch off and speak up for nature - to stand in solidarity to show we care about the future of our planet, our one shared home.

SPEAK UP FOR NATURE! We encourage people to participate in the local Earth Hour and share your stories of why nature matters to you - post your stories on facebook! Post photos of nature!

The time is now. We must speak up now to safeguard the health of our planet and in turn, our own health and well-being.

14/03/2021

A very noble reclaim for Irisan and nearby barangays.. 🙏

The Environmental Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Cordillera Administrative Region (DENR-CAR) is poised to recommend to the Supreme Court the lifting of the Writ of Kalikasan issued in 2012 over the decommissioned Irisan dumpsite.

FULL STORY BELOW

EMB-CAR POISED TO RECOMMEND LIFTING WRIT OF KALIKASAN OVER BAGUIO’S DECOMMISSIONED DUMPSITE

13 March 2021 – The Environmental Management Bureau - Department of Environment and Natural Resources Cordillera Administrative Region (DENR-CAR) is poised to recommend to the Supreme Court the lifting of the Writ of Kalikasan issued in 2012 over the decommissioned Irisan dumpsite.

This was announced by Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong following a site inspection Wednesday, March 10 with the EMB-CAR Regional Director Ma. Victoria Abrera and city department heads.

The mayor said Director Abrera committed that her agency will recommend to the Supreme Court to lift the Writ of Kalikasan issued in 2012 mandating the closure of the over five-hectare dumpsite.

The high court issued the Writ of Kalikasan following the avalanche of tons of garbage from the decommissioned dumpsite at the height of Typhoon Mina in 2011. Heavy rains caused tons of garbage to cascade down Asin Road and up to Tadiangan, Tuba leaving six people dead.

While the city government stopped using the area as dumpsite earlier in 2008, the mountain of garbage remained until Typhoon Mina battled the city in 2011 causing a trash slide.

The city government exerted efforts in cleaning the trash slide as well as hauling out of stocked piled mix waste in compliance with the order of the court for a Safe Closure and Rehabilitation Plan as required under Republic Act No. 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.

Mayor Magalong said as a long-term solution, the city government envisioned turning the decommissioned dumpsite into an ecological park.

He immediately inspected the decommissioned dumpsite in July 2019 upon taking his seat as local chief executive. He promised that in his term as mayor, the stench smell of the area will be addressed and the dumpsite turned into an eco-park.

The City Engineering Office prepared the technical and engineering development plan for the ecological park with the construction of path walks and bamboo huts, while the City Environment and Parks Management Office helped in the regreening works initially planting vetiver grasses for slope stabilization.

Ongoing improvement include a parking space for future visitors since the city government plans to open the area to the public once rehabilitation efforts have been completed.

Presently, thriving greenery on terraces can be seen with recyclables utilized as planting materials along available areas.

The project to transform the former Irisan dumpsite to a park costs more than P17M with 175 calendar days to complete.

While the city government continue to use a portion of the area for the operation of its Environmental Recycling System (ERS) machines – turning biodegradable waste into compost fertilizer – the stench of garbage has been eradicated overtime.

Records from the General Services Office (GSO) states that the ERS is processing a maximum of 50 tons of biodegradable waste daily –half of these are generated from vegetable waste at the public market.

Mayor Magalong also noted that the usual recyclables in neighboring houses’ rooftop have been cleaned following his directive for them to clear their stacks of recyclable wastes. – JMS

02/11/2020

Creation of barangay information management system in city eyed

31 October 2020 – The City Council, during last Monday’s regular session, approved on first reading a proposed ordinance creating the Barangay Information Management system (BIMS).

City legislators stated that the measure, through the use of the internet and the web, seeks to professionalize the collection, handling, storage and processing of primary information in the barangays for government policy formulation, planning and program implementation.

In general, the BIMS will serve as database in the issuance of certificates, clearances as well as generation of reports and other documents by the barangay in particular.

Under the proposed ordinance, all barangays shall create and maintain an updated database of all transactions in their areas of jurisdiction.

Barangay councils shall create a regular barangay committee to look into the implementation of information technology programs, projects, activities and other related concerns as its primary function or may include such tasks to any existing and appropriate committee.

On the other hand, the local government, through the Special Services Division (SSD) and the Management Information and Technology Division (MITD), shall provide the required technical assistance to the various barangays in setting up, operation and maintenance of the BIMS which shall form part of the network of the city’s management information system.

Capacity trainings and information and communication technology skills updating shall be conducted at least two times in a year with a total training hours of not less than 24 hours where the same shall be a collaboration among the City Mayor’s Office, the Liga ng mga Barangay–Baguio chapter and the City Budget Office, with the training funds coming from the annual appropriations of the SSD which shall be the lead office while the information capacity skill updating training shall be conducted by the city’s MITD.

The council claimed that to guide the personnel from the barangays, the implementation of the measure shall be in phases as may be determined by the MITD to ensure the concerned personnel are trained and equipped for the said task.

The council required the barangays to include in their annual budget the procurement of the appropriate hardware while the city government will provide the necessary software for the realization of the program and that city offices concerned in the prescribed intervention activities shall incorporate in their annual department budgets the funds required for the implementation of the BIMS.

Upon approval of the ordinance, the City Mayor, through the SSD within 60 days, shall coordinate with the City Budget Office, the City Treasurer’s Office, the City Planning and Development Office, the Liga ng mga Barangay–Baguio chapter and the Department of the Interior and Local Government, to craft the implementing rules and regulations of the measure where the same shall be in consonance to the Smart City program of Baguio. - Dexter A. See

26/10/2020

Looking for environment advocates who would like to share or suggest activities for our ENVIRONMENT..

Please get in touch, I will be very willing to listen and learn from you.

20/10/2020

Privatization of collection, hauling of garbage proposed

19 October 2020 – The City Council during last Monday’s regular session requested the concerned offices of the local government to conduct a feasibility study for the privatization of the collection and hauling of the city’s garbage from source to landfill.

In a resolution, local legislators call for the conduct of a feasibility study in an aim to reduce the cost of garbage collection and hauling.

The city council iterated that should the feasibility study prove that privatization is more beneficial to the city, affected employees shall be reassigned to other departments or absorbed by the contract provider as regular workers subject to qualifications and standards.

The idea to privatize the garbage collection in the city has long been proposed by some concerned sectors but was not fully recognized until shelved.

According to the council, the present public health emergency caused by the Corona virus Disease (COVID) 2019 pandemic coupled by the increased volume of garbage to be collected and disposed had brought to fore the need to revisit the clamor of the concerned sectors to work on the privatization of garbage collection.

At present, the local government, through the City General Services Office, is in charge of the collection of garbage from the city’s barangays and deliver the same to the temporary waste transfer station located within the Baguio Dairy Farm property.

The collected garbage will then be transferred to the trucks of the private hauler that was commissioned by the city to haul residual waste from the temporary waste transfer station to the Urdaneta City landfill.

Since 2007, the local government had been hauling the city’s generated residual waste to the sanitary landfill of Metro Clark Sanitary Waste Management Corporation in Capas, Tarlac before the same was transferred to the Urdaneta City landfill in Pangasinan.

Aside from venturing into the privatization of the city’s garbage collection and disposal, the local government is planning to put up a waste to energy plant in nearby Sablan town to serve the needs of Baguio-La Trinidad-Itogon-Sablan-Tuba-Tublay (BLISTT) area in the future if the same will turn out to be feasible.

Earlier, BLISTT local chief executives signed a memorandum of understanding for the conduct of a feasibility study for the establishment of a waste to energy plant in a private property in Sablan town subject to the conduct of the required free and prior informed consent of the community. - Dexter A. See

14/10/2020

14 DAYS LEFT!
Let's join the widespread vaccination against measles, rubella and polio that starts today 26th October to 25th November. This is for children under five years old. Contact your health center to find out the vaccination schedule in your area.
In BakuNATION, all kids have protection! Get your kids vaccinated for a ! 💚

14/10/2020

"Are you ready to show off your gardening skills and showcase your garden?

Be part of Gardening for a Better Baguio: IBAGIW 2020 Best Gardens Competition.

Open to amateur gardeners 18 years old and above who have gardens located within Baguio city limits.

Submit a short write-up (up to 500 words) about the design and inspiration, along with 5 to 10 of the best photos of the garden. Please attach the bio-data of the gardener. Group and individual entries are welcome.
Applications can be emailed to [email protected] or personally delivered to the Ibagiw Secretariat located at the OTOP Building, Cordillera Crafts and Productivity Center, DPS Compound, Upper Session Road. Deadline for submission of entry requirements is on October 31, 2020.

For more details check out our contest mechanics or contact:

John Arvin Molintas
IBAGIW 2020 Secretariat:
email - [email protected]
call or text- 09173165249

14/10/2020

"Are you ready to show off your gardening skills and showcase your garden?

Be part of Gardening for a Better Baguio: IBAGIW 2020 Best Gardens Competition.

Open to amateur gardeners 18 years old and above who have gardens located within Baguio city limits.

Submit a short write-up (up to 500 words) about the design and inspiration, along with 5 to 10 of the best photos of the garden. Please attach the bio-data of the gardener. Group and individual entries are welcome.
Applications can be emailed to [email protected] or personally delivered to the Ibagiw Secretariat located at the OTOP Building, Cordillera Crafts and Productivity Center, DPS Compound, Upper Session Road. Deadline for submission of entry requirements is on October 31, 2020.

For more details check out our contest mechanics (shorturl.at/LMY35) or contact:

John Arvin Molintas
IBAGIW 2020 Secretariat:
email - [email protected]
call or text- 09173165249