Total Recyclables Collected: 327, 656 kilos
DILG Assistant Secretary evaluates Eco Kolek's circular economy model under EU-PH Green Economy Partnership
To assess and strengthen grassroots sustainability initiatives, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Assistant Secretary Lilian M. De Leon conducted an official site visit to Project Zacchaeus’ (PZC) Eco Kolek operations on April 13. The monitoring activity forms part of the ongoing implementation and evaluation of the EU-PH Green Economy Partnership Project in Puerto Princesa City.
Mitchell Gimena
PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan — To assess and strengthen grassroots sustainability initiatives, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Assistant Secretary Lilian M. De Leon conducted an official site visit to Project Zacchaeus’ (PZC) Eco Kolek operations on April 13.
The monitoring activity forms part of the ongoing implementation and evaluation of the EU-PH Green Economy Partnership Project in Puerto Princesa City.
Asec. De Leon, accompanied by DILG City Director Myla Panganiban and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) representative Edlin Lumanog, inspected the Circular Economy Learning Hub located in Barangay Sicsican. The delegation was received by the Eco Kolek management team, led by Program Director Shellemai Roa and Head of Operations Dennis Creach Barcelona, alongside local barangay officials and 35 professionalized Eco Warriors.
Showcasing the operational framework
During the site inspection, PZC management detailed the project’s comprehensive operational framework. The presentation outlined the systematic processes of recyclable collection, source segregation, and material recovery currently being deployed at the barangay level.
Crucially, the briefing highlighted the program's dual-purpose socio-economic metrics. Beyond environmental conservation, the initiative has successfully generated sustainable livelihood opportunities for the active Eco Warriors spearheading the collection efforts. Data presented to the delegation indicated that the pilot operations in Barangay Sicsican have directly delivered positive environmental and economic impacts to approximately 300 participating households.
Strengthening institutional synergy
Following the operational briefing, Asec. De Leon formally commended the dedication and discipline of the Eco Warriors. She emphasized that robust community participation and the empowerment of frontline workers are the cornerstones of sustainable development and environmental protection in Palawan.
The high-level visit successfully reinforced the operational synergy among the DILG, UNDP, the European Union, the City Government of Puerto Princesa, and Eco Kolek. This multi-sectoral collaborative framework is expected to serve as the foundation for the continued expansion and institutional sustainability of circular economy initiatives across the city.
