Mayor Mel Sarmiento in Japan for 2nd 3Rs Conference

Mayor Mel Senen Sarmiento is in Fukuoka City, Japan to attend the 2nd 3Rs Conference for Asian Local Government. The said conference will be held on October 25 to 26, 2009.

The conference is organized by Japan Environmental Sanitation Center (JESC) and supported by the Ministry of Environment, Fukuoka Prefectural Government, Fukuoka City Government, Kitakyushu City Government and other organizations.

This conference will bring together officers of local governments to build stronger partnerships. It is also aimed at promoting the importance of 3Rs activities in Asia.

In his letter to the Sangguniang Panlungsod, Mayor Sarmiento informed the City Officials that no local funds are involved in his travel as the organizers have shouldered his traveling expenses. He further informed the city officials that his attendance in the said activity shall be greatly beneficial to the City Government as the program will have participation from other Asian countries who will discuss issues on the 3Rs; and that the opportunity to share with these representatives' problems related to the city's environment may open the door for possible sources of funding for the LGU's local environmental projects and logistical assistance for its other programs and initiatives.

Mayor Sarmiento is expected to be back on October 28, 2009.

Mayor Mel Sarmiento meets with JICA representatives

Mayor Mel Sarmiento with JICA's Masashi Watanabe and Masaharu Takasugi (CSWMO photo).

Mayor Mel Sarmiento on Friday met with Mr. Masashi Watanabe and Mr. Masaharu Takasugi of JICA Philippine Office.

Among the matters they discussed were the details of the LGU Sanitary Land Fill (SLF) Project in Brgy. Dinagan. Said project will commence immediately after the release of the DBP loan. Also tackled was the plan on the closure of the dumpsite at Tomalon Estate once the Dinagan project is in place. The Dinagan SLF will commence its operation on June 2010. By that time a segregated garbage collection system is expected to be in place in the City of Calbayog.

JICA & CSWMO Barangay Summit

The joint LGU and JICA Barangay Summit will be held tomorrow at the TTMIST-AVR. Expected to attend the event are the 157 Punong Barangay of Calbayog City. Also on hand will be the City Officials led by Mayor Mel Sarmiento, and representatives from JICA, EMB-DENR, DepEd, DILG and the NSWNC.

Here's the program flow for the said summit:

8:00 am: Registration
8:30 am - 9:30 am: Opening Program

• Prayer
• National Anthem
• Welcome Address by Vice Mayor Ronaldo Aquino, Chair of the City Solid Waste Management Board
• Introduction of Participants
• Message by Mayor Mel Sarmiento

9:30 am - 10:30 am

• Updates on Recent National Policy Issuances (SWM Towards Low Carbon Economy for LGUs) by Jennifer Flores, Senior Geologist from the National Solid Waste Management Council)
• Functions of Barangays in the Implementation of R.A. 9003

10:30 am - 11:00 am: Barangay IEC Campaign by Annabelle Yangzon, DepEd Representative on Environmental Education

11:00 am - 11:30 am: Organizing the Enforcement Group in the Barangay by Valente Bajet, DILG Calbayog City Director.

11:30 am - 12:00 noon: Good Practices in the Barangay

12:00 noon -1:00 pm: Lunch Break

1:00 pm - 1:15pm: Presentation of mechanics / General Outline of Plenary Workshop

1:15pm - 3:00 pm: Plenary Workshop, Presentation and Critiquing

3:00pm - 4:00 pm: Open Forum

4:00pm: Closing Message by Councilor Susano Salurio, Chair of SP Committee on Environmental Protection

3rd Ecological Solid Waste Management Seminar Workshop

The 3rd Ecological Solid Waste Management Technical Workshop / Seminar was held at the Marju Krisel Function Hall on June 23, 2009.

Around 70 barangays officials and community stakeholders were on hand for the activity. Vice Mayor Ronald Aquino, in his capacity as Chair of the City Solid Waste Management Board delivered the welcome address. Mayor Mel Sarmiento was also on hand to deliver a message.

Discussed in the workshop were the following:

• 3rd Year Activities of the Project (by Mr. Takashi Goto. JICA SWM expert)
• City Solid Waste Management Plan (by Engr. Danilo Mado, Ass't CSWM Officer)
• Operation / Maintenance of the Pilot Material Recovery Facility (by Mr. Ishmael Susmena, CSWMO TEAM Division Head)
• IEC Camaigns for 2009 (by Ms. Anabelle Yangzon, DepEd Rep for Environmental Education)
• Financial Evaluation / Waste Charge (by Councilor Julius Mancol, Chair of SP Committee on Finance)
• Operation / Maintenance of Sanitary Landfill / Videop Lecture (by JICA experts)

The JICA experts on hand for the workshop. (l-r) Mr. Kenji Takayanagi (Environmental Education), Mr. Kiminari Tachiyama (Financial Analysis), Mr. Sampei Nakanishi (Waste Diversion) and Mr. Masaharu Takasugi (Final Disposal)

Mayor Mel Sarmiento with Takashi Goto (JICA Project Team Leader) and Samar PENRO George Guillermo. Standing is CSWMO Reynaldo Gonzaga.

Vice Mayor Ronald Aquino delivering his welcome speech.

Mr. Takashi Goto

Mayor Mel Sarmiento as he delivered his message.

Mayor Mel Sarmiento with Ms. Anabelle Yangzon.

Councilor Julius Mancol

DILG Calbayog City Director Valente Bajet.

JICA Midterm Evaluation Team visits Calbayog

(June 22, 2009) A 10-man JICA Mifterm Evaluation Team visited Calbayog to check on some JICA projects in the City. The said team which was headed by Shiro Amano paid a coutesy call on the Sangguniang Panlungsod before proceeding to Calbayog Sanitary Landfills in Barangay Gadgaran (Tomalon Estate) and Barangay Dinagan and the Material Recovery Facility in Barangay Payahan.

The JICA Team also met with their local conterparts at the I's Plant Function Hall for some updates on the projects.

Vice Mayor Ronald Aquino as he welcomed the JICA team.

(l-r) Councilors Bombie Enriquez, Noel Sermense, Julius Mancol and Ina Rabuya.

The JICA Midterm Evaluation Team. (r-l) Shiro Amano, Team Leader); Makoto Iwase, JICA Philippine Office Representative; Noriko Otsuki, Consultant, Satoshi Higashinakagawa, Consultant; and Takshi Goto, JICA Project Team Leader.

The City Officials with the JICA Evaluation Team.

Vice Mayor Ronald Aquino and the JICA team members at the Gadgaran Sanitary Landfill.

The Team with Vice Mayor Aquino at the Material Recovery Faciltiy (MRF) in Barangay Payahan.

Makoto Iwase as he stressed a point during the group's evaluation / meeting.

Mayor Mel Sarmiento meeting with Shiro Amano (l) and Makoto Iwase (r) and other team members at the Calbayog Airport.