ECO GROUP LAUNCHES ‘ ZERO WASTE’ PHOTO CONTEST
THE ENVIRONMENTAL group Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) is inviting residents in the Asia Pacific region to share their Zero Waste lifestyle in a “#WaysToZeroWaste” social media photo contest. “Simply take pictures of the ways you do Zero Waste and post them on your social media accounts for a chance to win a free trip to Bandung, Indonesia, and be part of our International Zero Waste Cities Conference on March 5-9, 2018,” Sherma Benosa, GAIA Asia Pacific communications officer, said. The contest runs January 1-31 for both GAIA members (employees of member organizations) and non-members or the general public. Weekly winners will receive the Zero Waste Kit, which includes a metal straw, cutleries and reusable water bottle. To qualify, entries should be posted within the contest weeks on January 1-10, January 11-17, January 18-24 and January 25-31. The winners from both categories will be competing for the major prize. Benosa said entrants may submit as many entries as they want, in any and all of the three social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. For the photo contest mechanics, visit http://www.no-burn.org/ ways-to-zero-waste-photo- contest/. GAIA is a worldwide alliance of more than 800 grassroots groups, non- government organizations and individuals in over 90 countries whose ultimate vision is a just, toxic-free world without incineration.
SUGAR BOARD FAST TRACKING SIDA IMPLEMENTATION
BACOLOD CITY: Faced with another possible budget cut for under-utilization of its funds, the Sugar Regulatory Administration is fast tracking various programs of the Sugarcane Industry Development Act (SIDA) focusing on the socialized credit program. Emilio Yulo said the P2-billion annual SIDA allocation under the General Appropriations Act has not been fully used. “We have threshed out the mechanics with the Land Bank of the Philippines to use the money for credit financing,” Yulo, member of the Sugar Board, added. Under the SIDA, the sugar industry gets an annual budget of P2 billion of which 50 percent is set aside for infrastructure, 15 percent for block farms, 15 percent for socialized credit, 15 percent for research and development and five percent for scholarships for children of sugar farmers.
BAGUIO’S MELVIN JONES FOOTBALL FIELD UPGRADE APPROVED
BAGUIO CITY: The local government has allocated P25 million for the upgrading of the Melvin Jones football ground perimeter that will serve as relocation site for the vendors of the night market. Councilor Lenadro Yangot Jr., chairman of the City Council committee on market, trade, commerce and agriculture and a member of the Baguio City Market Authority, said identification of the permanent site for the night market is a BCMA priority to help free Harrison Road and provide vendors and the public adequate spaces to maneuver. He added that Mayor Mauricio Domogan has been reiterating the need to relocate the night market without sacrificing the conduct of sports and other crowd-drawing events in the area. Yangot said the City Engineering office is undertaking minor adjustments for the planned concreting and the installation of adequate lighting fixtures within the perimeter of the football field where the vendors will be relocated as soon as the project is completed by next year. More than 1,000 vendors sell their goods in limited spaces along the 500-meter stretch of Harrison Road that is now a major attraction in the city at night. The local government generates at least P1.3 to P1.5 million monthly income from the regulatory fees the night market vendors pay for them to be able to occupy their allotted spaces along the stretch of Harrison Road, which is closed to traffic at night.