All state colleges and universities in Davao Region are now addressing the single-used plastic in their respective campuses, before going out to propagate the practice to the communities.
Dr. Della Grace Bacaltos, professor of the Davao del Sur State College said they are now focusing on the single-used plastic and the mangrove management as parts of the Regional Center for Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development’s initial plan for the year 2023.
She said as part of the RCE, they have agreed to conduct the initial planning in 2023 being one in establishing communities of practice towards the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals.
“We have plotted out our activities by having a conference in July where we will be inviting different stakeholders from the academe, local government units, and people’s organizations where we will be presenting management of plastic wastes and a roadmap for plastic waste management in Davao Region,” Bacaltos said.
She bared that in Davao del Sur, they have already talked with Digos City Mayor Josef Fortich-Cagas about the possible banning of single-used plastic in the community through the formulation of local legislation and lobbying of an ordinance to stop the single-used plastic in local trades.
Bacaltos said all state colleges and universities in Davao Region are expected to come up with their study about single-used plastic to include information dissemination and behavioral change.
“We need to change the mindset of the people, to be able to be mindful of the plastic waste management, as part of their lifestyle the reducing or recycling of plastic wastes,” she said.
Bacaltos stressed the single-used plastic is a plenty in the environment which causes flooding from time to time whenever they clog the egresses of water and they are also abundant in the coastal environment.
She said people now have to consider the ridge to reef approach because whatever plastic waste thrown from the ridge area, would find themselves leading towards the coastal areas. (PIA XI-Joey Sem G. Dalumpines)
