ANGELES CITY, Philippines – Barangay Balibago has declared an all-out war against garbage as over 100 business establishments and residents gathered on Wednesday, July 30, to confront the worsening waste management crisis in the community.
The forum, held at the Ben Tan Foundation Rehydration Center, was spearheaded by One Balibago Business Investors & Entrepreneurs Association Inc. (1BBC) president Dr. Brian Tan, chairman Jerry Ponce, Barangay Captain Joseph “PG” Ponce, and Angeles City government’s ACTODA head Francisco “Kiko” Pangilinan.
With the theme “The garbage problem is a shared responsibility,” stakeholders discussed persistent issues including irregular garbage collection, illegal dumping, and trash from neighboring barangays ending up in Balibago.
The meeting resulted in unified action points: stricter segregation policies, clear waste collection schedules, a ban on single-use plastics, the establishment of a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF), and the formation of a Task Force Bantay Basura composed of volunteers, tanods, and business reps.
“Ang problema sa basura ay hindi lang sa gobyerno—lahat tayo ay may papel,” said Captain Ponce. Dr. Tan added that cleanliness directly affects health, business, and tourism in the area.
Another forum, focusing on climate solutions and waste recovery, is set on August 11 with Climate Change Commissioner Albert Dela Cruz Sr. leading discussions with barangay leaders and national agencies.