Total Recyclables Collected: 327, 656 kilos
Eco Kolek mobilizes grassroots clean-up in Puerto Princesa; recovers 23.3 kg of recyclables
In observance of global Earth Month initiatives, Project Zacchaeus (PZC), through its Eco Kolek program, spearheaded a targeted community clean-up operation in Purok Mahogany, Barangay Sicsican on April 25 to enforce local solid waste management protocols.
MItchell Gimena
PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan — In observance of global Earth Month initiatives, Project Zacchaeus (PZC), through its Eco Kolek program, spearheaded a targeted community clean-up operation in Purok Mahogany, Barangay Sicsican on April 25 to enforce local solid waste management protocols.
The grassroots mobilization was executed under the framework of the EU-PH Green Economy Partnership, implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and supported by the OCEAN Grants. To ensure operational alignment and policy compliance, the initiative was conducted in close cooperation with the Barangay Sicsican Local Government Unit (BLGU), the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (City ENRO), the City Department of the Interior and Local Government (City DILG), and the Barangay Council of Sicsican.
Measurable recovery and deployment metrics
The strategic deployment mobilized a 31-person frontline team comprising 20 professionalized Eco Warriors, four officers from the Samahang Mangangalakal ng Puerto Princesa (SMPP), and seven PZC staff.
Tasked with clearing residential alleys and critical drainage canals to mitigate localized flooding, the specialized workforce successfully recovered and diverted 23.3 kilograms of recyclable materials within a three-hour operational window. The recovered materials will be integrated into the city’s circular economy supply chain.
Verifiable social and behavioral impact
Beyond immediate waste diversion, the post-activity assessment highlighted distinct indicators of social and behavioral change (SBC) within the pilot community. Operations personnel verified positive shifts in household waste disposal habits.
The sustained cleanliness of alleys and secondary waterways in the district serves as a direct, measurable result of Eco Kolek’s preceding Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) roadshows and the continuous presence of the Eco Warriors.
Strengthening institutional governance
Prior to deployment, participants underwent a technical briefing reinforcing the principles of at-source segregation and the comprehensive "10 Rs" of waste management, strictly adhering to the mandates of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.
For institutional funders and government stakeholders, this grassroots mobilization demonstrates the efficacy of localized environmental governance. By combining continuous public education with the visible, professionalized action of the Eco Warriors under robust international and local partnerships, the coalition provides a highly replicable framework for sustainable urban climate resilience across Palawan.
