Employees of Davao City Water District stepped up efforts to support the water utility’s annual celebration of July as Recycling Month. Through the in-house contest “Ang Basura Ko, May Pakinabang Ito”, six domes that would serve as shelter for seedlings in DCWD nurseries have been made out of recycled plastic bottles.
Launched in July, the contest culminated on August 26, 2016 with a simple program for the judging and awarding of entries. Invited judges were Miriam S. Colon, executive director of People Collaborating for Environmental and Economic Management in Davao Foundation, Inc.; Arch. Gloryrose D. Metilla, chief innovations and design officer of the social enterprise Swito Designs Inc.; and Engr. Winchester O. Lemen president and CEO of Envirotech Waste Recycling Inc. who is also tagged as Davao City’s recycled plastics king.
Based on the criteria of environmental compatibility, stability and durability (30%), functionality (30%), concept and originality (25%), and oral interpretation of the entry (15%), the winners were Commercial Services Department in first place, Information and Communications Technology Department in second place and the team composed of the Corporate Planning and Internal Audit departments and Pollution Control and Safety Office in third place. The top three teams each received a plaque.
Runners-up were the Accounting Department, Pipelines and Appurtenances Maintenance Department and the team composed of the offices of the Board of Directors, General Manager and Assistant General Managers, and the Legal Department.
Atty. Bernardo D. Delima Jr., officer-in-charge of the Community Relations and External Affairs Department that organized the contest said the annual celebration of Recycling Month is in line with the District’s mandate to protect and conserve the city’s water resources. He added that the celebration is among DCWD’s small contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals espoused by the United Nations to ensure access to water and sanitation for all and ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns particularly the aim to substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse.
DCWD director Serafin C. Ledesma Jr. was also happy to note the utility’s efforts to practice recycling while general manager Engr. Edwin V. Regalado thanked the employees for always responding actively to the activities for the environment initiated by the District.
The next day, selected employees gathered again for the installation of the plastic domes at the nurseries located in DCWD’s project sites within Mt. Talomo-Lipadas, Mt. Tipolog-Tamugan and Malagos watersheds.
SOURCE: DCWD employees innovate seedlings shelter (davao-water.gov.ph)
Jamae G. Dela Cruz