Recyclable trash traps boost efforts in protecting rivers
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO— Efforts to protect rivers and tributaries from garbage and debris can now be accomplished with the use of the same materials that often end up being disposed in bodies of water.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) had recently launched its “floating trash traps” using plastic bottles and other recyclable materials as alternative to commercial waters buoys, making the effort in protecting rivers from unwanted trash easier and econ om i cal .
The projects have been motivated by the ongoing efforts to protect Manila Bay from solid wastes that end up in its tributaries. The trash traps prevent garbage from being transported down rivers and tributaries.
DENR record shows that these traps have prevented at least 30 tons of solid waste from reaching the waters of the Manila Bay through its various tributaries since they were installed in the early months of this year.
The traps were strategically placed in rivers and streams where they can stop solid waste from floating further downstream, without hampering the movements of aquatic life such as fish.
Floating Trash Traps The contraptions are 30 to 100 meter-long float protection. They are made usually of recycled materials like plastic bottles and other composite materials that are easily sourced.
Aside from the workhours needed in assembling the traps, the costs in making one is basically negligible. The floaters are held together by screens. These effectively hold up any floating debris for easy collection,
MAGALANG --- The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to speed up creation of guidelines for State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) to tap P3-B funds in Bayanihan 2 for flexible learning.
Sen at or Joel Villanueva urged the CHED to immediately craft the necessary guidelines to implement several provisions under the Bayanihan 2 law.
The lawmaker said this law was designed to help SUCs implement flexible learning programs and assist displaced teaching and nonteaching personnel, as well as students to cope with the new normal.
Villanueva also lamented the deep budget cuts that SUCs suffered on their capital outlay, which could have financed their transition to flexible learning, as the conduct of face-toface classes remains prohibited with the COVID19 pandemic.
Villanueva asked CHED Chair Prospero de Vera III to work with SUCs on their P3-billion allocation to help them set up smart campuses that will help in the implementation of flexible learning systems.
“We only have roughly three months to take the opportunity and tap the P3 Billion pesos for the development of their ICT infrastructure and help in the implementation of flexible learning, since the Bayanihan 2 is only effective until December 2020,” said Villanueva, chair of the Senate higher education committee. “When we proposed this amendment, our vision is to have the fund equally and equitably distributed to all the SUCs as soon as possible, with the least possible bureaucratic processes.”
De Vera and Dr. Tirso Ronquillo, president of the Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC), committed to work together and seek to have the distribution of the fund “equitably” among SUCs.
Villanueva also expressed concern over the significant cuts the budget department made on the capital outlays of SUCs, which should have allowed them to “adjust to this new mode of teaching and learning.”
“I’m looking at the budget for SUCs. Parang naguguluhan lang po ako. Yung mga SUCs, ibaiba po yung increase, yung iba umaabot ng 3,000% increase, meron naman iba na ang laki ng bawas… We want to find out what is the basis for this?” he said.
Villanueva also sought CHED’s plans on implementing the P300 million subsidies and allowances for displaced teaching and nonteaching personnel at higher education institutions, as well as the P600 million subsidies and allowances for qualified students at all education institutions, given that the Bayanihan 2 law would expire at the end of the year.
The lawmaker pointed out that the provision on subsidies and allowances came from the concerns raised by teachers, school workers, and students, who shared the difficulties they experienced at online synchronous classes.
Villanueva said a student may need to spend at least P45 daily to watch four hours’worth of school video materials, based on industry average that a typical 1hour video consumes 480 megabytes of data, and 1 gigabyte (1,000 megabytes) of data is worth about P23.
“This is precisely why we pursued this provision, so that we can help our students cope with the demands of our times today,” Villanueva sai d.
On the other hand, CHED data showed that in Academic Year 20182019, there are 136,186 faculty members in higher education institutions, which are in SUCs, local government-run universities and colleges, other government schools and HEI, and private HEIs.
De Vera admitted that the provisions posed a challenge to the commission, but Villanueva quickly pointed out that senators are more than willing to help the education sector as seen in the efforts of the Upper Chamber in providing for their needs.