With the Wastepickers and in the Dumpsite

For the past few months, I had the opportunity to be in a project with the end-goal of helping the waste pickers have alternative livelihood. This is in the anticipation that eventually, the dump site, where they usually work, will be closed down as compliance with RA 9003.

Part of the work is having an ocular visit of the dumpsite, and, this is the first time for me to set foot inside an actual dumpsite. I visited two dumpsites for this engagement.

Where can we find the Wastepickers?

All along, what I know is that wastepickers are all working at the dumpsite; however, in this project, I discovered that there are different kinds of waste pickers, depending on where they recover wastes.

So there are waste pickers who go house to house. These are the ones who knock on our house and whom we trade our bakal, plastics, lata and other recyclables wastes.

There are waste pickers who go to pick up points (or called the itinerant waste pickers), on those areas considered as “tambakan” where the garbage truck get the wastes. Here in Manila, I usually see them in evenings looking for recyclable wastes from the "tamabakan"

Our friendly “basurero” from the garbage truck that collects are wastes everyday is also considered as a waste picker. I found out that they also gather recyclable wastes from what they collect.

And then, there are the wastepickers at the dumpsite. And I found out through this project that, in the chain of the waste management, they are mostly the disadvantaged; they are the wastepickers with the least amount of income. This is because, usually, what they recover in the dumpsite are already the leftovers from the whole process of the waste management. You see, the house to house, the itinerant, and the basurero from the garbage truck, already have their share of recyclable materials even before the wastes reach the dumpsite.

Finding out about their daily income makes me frown. But nonetheless, they never fail to give me their upbeat and positive vibes. Oh, I love people in rural communities! :)

photo-op with the dumpsite workers in Pili and some municipal officers

All about Naga City

One dumpsite I visited is in Naga City. They say that there are far more advanced dumpsites in the Philippines, but for me, Naga City’s dumpsite, is, so far, so good. It has a Materials Recovery Facility inside the dumpsite wherein the biodegradable and non-biodegradable wastes are segregated. The biodegradable wastes are converted to either organic compost or inoculant. The inoculant is used as an ingredient of the compost or is applied to the dumpsite to minimize the smell.

What I find impressive about Naga City is the recognition of the waste pickers in the solid waste management of the city. It is ensured that the wastepickers have specific “territories” where they can recover wastes as a means to ensure their primary livelihood activity. For one, the waste pickers are organized into associations by the city. There are currently 4 wastepicker associations in Naga City. One association is dedicated to collect waste in private subdivisions; the two other associations are in charge of collecting wastes at public markets and malls; the other association is deployed at the dumpsite. These 4 wastepicker associations are allowed to recover wastes only to those barangays not covered by a Materials Recovery Facility.

Meanwhile, Barangays with Materials Recovery Facility (MRFs) have their own solid waste management system. The MRFs are managed through the close collaboration between the Barangay and a volunteer group (also living in the same barangay). The volunteer group, which can also be considered as waste pickers, practically manages the MRF, and also, if necessary, help the city in the conduct house to house collection (especially to areas not reached by the garbage trucks). Income from the MRF is divided equally among the volunteer group. There are some barangays however who have organic compost activities in their MRFs, and this serves as an income generating activity of the Barangay.

Meanwhile, the MRF inside the Naga City dumpsite is managed by a cooperative group. This cooperative group used to be wastepickers at the dumpsite. The city organized as well these waste pickers into a group, and then to a cooperative. Income from the MRF is considered income of the said cooperative.

I just find it simply amazing on how there is a pro-active move from the city to recognize, organize and secure the income generating activity of these waste pickers. There is no way that these wastepickers are displaced and neglected. Interviews I made (both with the government and the wastepickers themselves) testified that the city solid waste management office is very active and has good relations with these associations.  Something unique I discovered. You see, this project covered 10 areas in the Philippines and this system of Naga just outshone the rest.

The waste pickers in Naga City controlled dumpsite

Gate of Naga City Controlled Dumpsite

the MRF inside the dumpsite where bio and non bio are segregated

biodegradable wastes converted into organic compost

ready for soil application

biowastes being decomposed

biowastes converted to inoculant

another shot for the inoculant processing

an MRF located in Brgy. Triangulo

inside the MRF in Brgy. Triangulo

Naga Garbage trucks. Smaller than what I see here in Manila

All about Pili

Another site I visited is the one in the municipality of Pili in Camarines Sur. With a small population, the wastes dumped to the disposal site is small in volume as well. The solid waste management is also pretty straightforward – no processing facilities in the dumpsite; wastepickers are found in the dumpsite and they have no role in the waste management chain. There are other waste pickers as well, such as those who go house to house and those at the garbage truck. The main recipients of this specific project are the waste pickers in the dumpsite. They are also an organized association.

wastepickers in Pili open dumpsite

All about the Project

The project hopes to equip the wastepickers to engage in livelihood activities aside from recovering waste in case the dumpsite closes down. At the time of the field visit, the waste pickers are being trained on different skills. The wastepickers are also assisted for the setting up of their own business -either as an individual initiative or a business owned by their association. The waste pickers association in Naga City hopes to have a junkshop, a rice trading and a welding center. Meanwhile, the group in Pili wants to have a group owned strawberry farm.

Naga City government is very suppoprtive to this endeavor. Plans are underway to provide a  business space for the wastepickers in either the bus terminals or the coliseum. The city government of Naga also plans to partner with the waste pickers for some of their existing projects.

Meanwhile, the Pili government hopes to employ the wastepickers once their planned MRF has been constructed.

Livelihood training program for the wastepickers. they are also called IWS  or the informal waste pickers

Padyak making, as one of the livelihood trainings

wastepickers in pili are now starting with backyard farming of strawberry. tasted it and this one is sweet!

the community based strawberry farm now being set up inside the residential community of the Pili wastepickers

one of the Pili wastepickers also engaging in consolidation of the wastes of her association. She sells this to junkshops. 

Workshop Photo-Op in Naga City

workshop photo-op in Pili

FGD with the leaders of wastepicker associations in Naga

facilitating the workshop in Naga City. I also had to facilitate in Pili. A first for me :) I survived! :p

Refreshing

On a personal note, it was refreshing to see how supportive the people are to the government of Naga City. This is a first for me, among all the field works I had, that the people I talked to have full support and trust to the government. The Naguenos I interviewed are also proud with their government officials. They are telling me that the politicians in Naga lead a very simple life, which is so unlikely of our traditional politicians. They see that this is the Robredo legacy. they hope that this kind of legacy lasts forever. I do hope too.

I left the place inspired and motivated. Naga City is once a small town but now is a progressive city. It made me believe, that with political will, and honesty, nothing is impossible. Honestly, I got inspired to become a Mayor because of this experience, and of course, I shall follow suit with what Robredo has done to Naga. :)

Counting on the Community

I am likewise amazed on how the wastepickers can so articulately say what they need to address their problems. I am hands down to how they have suggested out of the box yet practical solutions with regard to their alternative livelihood opportunities. For me, these are even smarter solutions compared to those provided by people we regard as highly educated or tagged as experts.

I once heard from a high up person that "the poor cannot help themselves."  I have disagreed in silence and I am somehow offended personally. This experience from this project has even solidified my stance that we can count on the community as partners to fighting poverty. We cannot just go there and drop our packaged capacity building modules and believe from there that they will be ok. We should stop looking at them as project beneficiaries. They know what they need; it is just a matter of listening to them, and providing a conducive atmosphere where they will realize how they can provide solutions to their problems. It is a matter of respect to what they know, and patience to their pace . And as a development worker, it is a matter of providing them the resources and building their capacities for them to achieve these solutions; and from there -  be ready to be amazed on how far they can go :)

There, I still believe in a rosy world =)