Wait! Don’t throw out those empty plastic or glass bottles immediately. Gather them together with your household’s other recyclable items and drop them at the plastic buying and exchange center in Parañaque City where you can earn points in exchange for various incentives like fresh vegetables, e-cash, and other sustainable items.
This project was made possible through the cooperation of The United States government, through the US Agency for International Development (USAID), and Clean Cities, Blue Ocean (CCBO) program grantee Communities Organized for Resource Allocation (CORA) Inc. to address ocean plastic pollution, including the huge amount of plastic waste CORA volunteers collect during cleanup drives along Manila Bay.
Also, this Eco-Ikot Center notably places the spotlight on women’s economic empowerment (WEE) as a woman-led initiative that aims to uplift their invaluable contribution to solid waste management, while providing prime opportunities for women from local communities to take on leadership roles.
According to the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines, the Eco-Ikot Center serves as an inclusive and replicable waste collection and recycling system to help communities prevent solid waste from ending up in landfills. It also supports and strengthens local government systems and infrastructure while providing incentives for the community to adopt more sustainable behavior by trading in recyclables.
“This center will serve as a model for promoting ‘reduce, reuse, and recycle’ practices in local communities,” USAID Philippines Acting Environment Office Director Dr. John Piggott said
“Through our work together, we can make measurable progress in stemming the tide of ocean plastic pollution,” he added.
“Partnerships, together with community-led actions, play a crucial part in achieving our global goals,” CORA Philippines founder and executive director Antoinette Taus said.
“USAID’s CCBO program has provided CORA with the necessary tools to empower communities with sustainable waste management solutions that benefit women, local citizens, and our shared environment,” she added.
The five-year, PHP2.7 billion ($48 million) program works at the global level and in rapidly urbanizing countries like the Philippines to address ocean plastics directly at their source while striving to empower the vulnerable populations and lessen pollution that negatively impacts human health and climate.
According to CORA’s website, the recyclable items they accept include PET bottles, sachets & soft plastics, hard platics/sibak, uncontaminated papers or cardboards, glasses, and metals. Make sure your items are clean, dry, and segregated.
The CORA Eco-Ikot Center is located at Brgy. San Isidro MRF at Our Lady Of Unity Parish, UPS 5, Parañaque City, Philippines. It is open from Tuesday to Sunday, 6:30 AM to 2:00 PM.