By Rjay Zuriaga Castor
The vibrant Dinagyang Festival draws millions of revelers each year, but with its lively parades and street festivities comes an inevitable challenge — tons of plastic waste.
Daily Guardian spoke to the city government on how it has turned that challenge into an opportunity, repurposing the heavy load of waste collected into something purposeful and sustainable.
General Services Office (GSO) head Engr. Niel Ravena said that since the Dinagyang Festival countdown, the collected plastic waste has been processed into eco-boards, which were used as flooring for key festival stages, including the Iloilo Freedom Grandstand.
“As part of our improvement efforts tp manage the waste coming from our activities […] We recycle, we upcycle our plastics,” he said.
The GSO sells the collected plastics to a “consolidator,” who is also the contractor responsible for building the stages in judging areas of the Dinagyang competitions.
So far, 10 tonnes of plastic waste have been converted into 500 eco-boards.
Ravena said the initiative doesn’t stop at eco-boards. The GSO is considering using the plastic waste to create new waste bins, which the city government plans to deploy in parks and open spaces.
The city anticipates a significant increase in waste volume this year. In 2023, the GSO collected over 30 towns of waste and this increased to 100 tons the following year.
Ravena said as early as January, they have already observed a rise in waste collection during team blockings for Dinagyang competitions.
To address this, Ravena said 40 additional waste bins were placed in downtown areas to accommodate the overflow.
“I noticed that our waste bins were really overwhelmed and I added another 40 to accommodate more waste,” he added.
To ensure efficient waste collection, the city has partnered with JS Layson for additional trucks to augment the city’s fleet of three large garbage trucks.
Sweeper trucks, wheel loaders, and over 300 street sweepers are also being deployed to ensure the city is free of litter by Monday morning after the celebrations.
Ravena emphasized the importance of responsible waste management, calling on food vendors and kiosk owners to separate food waste to maintain the value of recyclable plastics.
He also called on revelers to responsibly dispose of waste during Dinagyang celebrations, emphasizing a sense of ownership and pride in the city.
“Be responsible in disposing of our waste and at the same time […] there should be a sense of ownership for us Ilonggos,” he said. (Photos courtesy of Engr. Niel Ravena)
