With the city government’s effective garbage management, Dagupan City is now gaining prominence as the favorite lakbay-aral destination of some cities and municipalities in the entire country.

On June 7 and 14, officials of barangays Lakewood and Bayog of Zamboanga del Sur will conduct a separate lakbay-aral tour to benchmark the city’s implementation of RA 9003 or Solid Waste Management Act which is part of the Lakbay Aral program of assistant majority leader of the House of Representatives and Zamboanga del Sur 2nd District Congressman Antonio H. Cerilles and Governor Aurora Enerio-Cerilles.

The two Zamboanga del Sur delegations will explore the city’s material recovery facilities (MRFs) which are being implemented in the different barangays for proper waste segregation, recycling, composting and storing of recyclable materials.

“The MRF program of your city has gained prominence from the different officials of Mindanao after it was effectively done in the barangay level,” said congressman Cerilles in a letter sent to Mayor Benjamin Lim dated May 26.

“Dagupan City is very willing to share its waste management programs to the officials of Zamboanga del Sur,” said Lim.

As of present, thirteen barangays of the city are already using MRFs as of December 2005 right after the city government started the massive implementation of RA 9003. These barangays include Pantal, Brgy. I, Brgy. II & III, Brgy. IV, Carael, Poblacion Oeste, Pugaro, Bonuan Binloc, Bonuan Boquig, Bonuan Gueset, Tebeng, Mayombo and Herrero-Perez.

Moreover, the MRF of Brgy. IV is famous for its butterfly garden and nursery while Brgy. Mayombo is also known for its communal garden and vegetation. (CIO/Leziel T. Cayabyab)