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KILUS Multipurpose Environmental Cooperative has proven to the world that creative recycling of trash can be beneficial for the livelihood of these all women group. Used doy packs juice pouches that came in different designs were made into different styles of bags that had attracted the foreign markets.
Artificial juices in doy packs containers are one of the popular food items in supermarkets in urban areas in the Philippines. In Metro Manila, these commercial drinks are served in school canteens, parties, funeral wakes and large gatherings of different organizations. Doy packs are made of triple laminated aluminum cellofoil. The outer layer is made up of cellophane while the inner layer is made up of poly-ethylene and between the outer and inner layer is aluminum foil. Doy packs juice fruits containers are definitely non-biodegradable and are not bought by any junk shops in the Philippines. They are just discarded in the trash cans and end up in dumpsites or sanitary landfill.
In the 1990’s, Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) began its campaign for wastes segregation, recycling and reuse to reduce the 6,000 to 8,000 tons of solid wastes produced in the metropolis daily. This was met with lukewarm attitudes by the Local Government Units (LGU’s) until the enactment of Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Act of 2000. Under the RA 9003, LGUs must segregate, recycle and reduced the volume of their solid wastes by about 25% in the next 3 years. The law also encourages LGUs to promote and establish multipurpose environmental cooperatives among their constituents.
One barangay that ventured on the livelihood opportunity by recycling wastes is Barangay Ugong, in the City of Pasig, a highly urbanized City in Metro Manila, Philippines. Pasig City’s contributes about 500 to 600 tons of solid wastes daily. Spearheaded by its Barangay Chairman, Alejandro E. Santiago (this author) the Bawas Basura Dagdag Kita (BBDK) was launched to start of garbage recycling scheme for additional income. The project in partnership with an all women organization in the barangay (Fig. 2) now officially registered as an non-government organization, the Kababaihan Iisa ang Layunin Umunlad ang Sambayanan (KILUS) Foundation Inc. of Barangay Ugong, Pasig City.
The project in partnership with an all women organization in the barangay now officially registered as an non-government organization, the Kababaihan Iisa ang Layunin Umunlad ang Sambayanan (KILUS) Foundation Inc. of Barangay Ugong, Pasig City.
The income of BBDK, however, is almost on a break even status. However, BBDK earned for the Barangay Ugong the title of the “Cleanest and Greenest Barangay along Pasig, Marikina and San Juan Rivers” with a One Million Peso Award (Php 1,000,000) from the Clean and Green Foundation, Inc. for approved projects on waste management of Barangay Ugong.
A livelihood seminar was approved from the project fund and one of the speakers, Dr. Zenaida Millora, from Zero Kalat sa Kaunlaran (ZKK) demonstrated a sample of a bag made out of Zesto Juice doy packs used containers. This attracted the attention of the author for the livehood project of the Barangay. The Livelihood Staff was ordered to collect and/or buy at Php 0.10 cents each used doy packs pouches like Zesto O, Funchum, Sun Glo, Plus, etc.
The author promoted the sale of the product in his different meetings and invitations and with his peers in the environmental circle. Barangay Ugong began to receive orders in different quantities until it caught the attention of print and broadcast media. As orders poured in, the Council passed on the livelihood technology to KILUS for the benefits of the members. This author, as adviser, encouraged KILUS to further think of other products from doy packs. By now the product ranges from bags slippers, folders and envelop bags.
KILUS branch into a multipurpose environmental cooperative in accordance with Republic Act 2003. As cooperative, the financial support is in an advantage as they can now apply if not offered grants and loans. It was, however through the Department of Trade and Industry that the recycled products got international prominence.
DTI- CITEM invited the Cooperative to display samples of the products for their 2001 international trade fair and the years thereafter. The first foreign buyers came from Japan, Denmark, Germany and the USA. This was followed later by France, Italy and Korea. Orders for these bags are by the hundreds and thousands pieces.
For the year 2002, KILUS was able to buy 3,100,000 pieces of doy packs. At 200 pieces of doy packs a kilo this total to about 15.4 tons garbage recycled. The assorted bags produced are about 160,250 pieces and 1,300 pairs of slippers. KILUS Foundation and KILUS Multipurpose Environmental Cooperative feel proud to do its share to recycle a commonly thrown item in our waste and prove to the world that there is money in recycling.
KILUS now employs 150 families, all members, in the livelihood projects as Washers, Segregators, Sewers, Packers, Quality Controllers, Security, and Office Personnel. The office remains to be located in the backyard of the Santiago Family at 36 C. Santos St., Barangay Ugong, Pasig City.
The sewers are the highest earners with a weekly income of Php 3,000 to 5,000 or Php 12,000 to 20,000 a month. The rest earned an average of Php 1,000 a week or Php 4,000 a month. These income are higher than an average factory or office worker because the KILUS worker need not spend for transportation expenses, wear expensive clothes and buy costly meals.
Due to economic conditions were most people are unemployed, the Board of Directors of KILUS Cooperative decided to focus more on labor force rather than profit.
We’ve been collecting recyclable materials specially DOY PACKS all over Metro Manila & suburbs in different schools, parks & establishments. Our main handicap is our inability to collect regularly because of transportation.
The Primary Sources wherein we get used doypacks are schools in Metro Manila, Funeral Homes, Independent Collectors around Metro Manila, a seller in Bicol Region and in in Central Luzon.
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