The Department of Environment and Natural Resources–Environmental Management Bureau in Region 1 has granted P25.5 million to the provincial government of Ilocos Norte to fund the construction of a plastic recycling and resource recovery facility at Barangay Imelda, Marcos town.
On Jan. 22, Gov. Matthew Marcos Manotoc signed a memorandum of agreement with EMB Regional Director Engineer Maria Dorica Naz-Hipe to officially turn over the funds.
Naz-Hipe applauded the initiative of the province, saying: “Ilocos Norte is one of the very few provinces that has received a sum like this under the administration of President [Rodrigo] Duterte.”
“We congratulate you for having availed this assistance, and we do hope that it will be a successful project. We hope this project becomes a model for other local government units to replicate, even in other regions,” she added.
The P20 million of the assistance is allocated for the construction of the facility, while the remaining P5.5 million is for the procurement of several equipment.
“We will also be supplementing that [cash assistance] with some of our own machines that we will purchase to complete the facility,” Marcos Manotoc shared.
PGIN will procure a sewage vacuum truck, a shredding machine with conveyor, and a pulverizing machine with conveyor, he added.
“I am sure this will be a long way in our push towards a greener and more responsible Ilocos Norte in terms of environment and we must continue to uphold our reputation as the Renewable Energy Capital not only in the Philippines but also in the Southeast Asia,” the governor said.
Alongside the improvement of the health sector, Marcos Manotoc also prioritizes the protection of environment and the sustainability of Ilocos Norte’s natural resources.
Last October, the Provincial Government launched its solid waste management campaign titled “Narimat nga Aglawlaw” (Bright Environment) to instill responsible waste management among Ilokanos.