COTABATO CITY – Marking a significant step to strengthen solid waste management efforts in BARMM, the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources, and Energy (MENRE) officially turned over one (1) unit of garbage compactor truck to the Local Government Unit of Datu Piang on September 26 at the OCM Grounds, Cotabato City. This project is funded under the Transitional Development Impact Fund (TDIF) 2023 of Member of Parliament Atty. Sittie Fahanie S. Uy-Oyod.

The garbage compactor is set to improve solid waste collection in Datu Piang, minimize the volume of bulky, space-consuming waste, and efficiently dispose of waste as it will help conserve valuable space in the area’s respective landfill.

“As our population continues to grow and our communities develop, so too does the need for efficient systems that can handle increasing waste, minimize environmental impact, and improve the quality of life for all,” MENRE Minister Akmad A. Brahim underscored.

The representative from LGU Datu Piang, Municipal Administrator Atty. Peter Escoto, expressed the LGUs’ gratitude to MENRE for the turnover of the garbage compactor, noting that solid waste is one of the municipality’s persistent problems.

The LGU of Datu Piang is the pioneer recipient of the Garbage Compactor Project. In his message, MENRE’s Bangsamoro Director General for ENR Atty. Badr E. Salendab explained that the Ministry “recognizes the difficulties and challenges of LGUs in the area of solid waste management.”

“We are continuously designing programs to aid our LGUs in the area of solid waste management,” he added.

The MENRE emphasized that this project is part of the larger program of the Ministry to handle solid waste more effectively. This is in accordance with Republic Act No. 9003, also known as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, which mandates LGUs to implement systematic waste reduction and proper waste disposal strategies.

In full support of this initiative and gracing the event were Deputy Minister Muslima Asmawil, Chief Environmental Management Specialists Engr. Abdulmaoti Akmad, Engr. Nasser Awal and Engr. Mahid Gayak, Chief Planning Officer Jessie S. Ondoy, Office of MP Oyod’s TDIF Focal Person Nasrudin Oyod, and Datu Piang MENRO Guiapar Kamaong.