MANILA, Philippines - On International Women’s Day, Australian Embassy Deputy Head of Mission Steve Scott visited the Women for Social Development, Inc. (WSDI) in Lavezares, Northern Samar. The WSDI is leading local efforts to promote greater community participation in managing solid waste segregation and disposal.
The Australian Government has supported this initiative through the acquisition of 26 bicycles with sidecar (pedicabs) for each of the barangays. The funds were made available through the Australian Embassy’s Direct Aid Program.
WSDI requested for the pedicabs to facilitate community participation, help barangay volunteers regularly collect segregated household waste and transport it to barangay recovery facilities. Introduction of the pedicabs has also helped reduce fuel consumption in the collection of waste.
This project helped Lavezares garner awards and citations from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau, the National Solid Waste Management Commission, League of Municipalities of the Philippines, and the Mayors’ Development Centre Inc. It was also a finalist in the 1st Eastern Visayas Regional Ecology Center Search for Model Local Government Units and Best Practices in Solid Waste Management.
The Australian Govern-ment’s Direct Aid Program is guided by the principle of gender equality and environmental sustainability.