Project Zacchaeus Forges Stronger Partnership with Bancao-Banco LGU and SMJ

On May 20, 2021, Project Zacchaeus (PZC), through its Eco Kolek Project, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the local government officials of Barangay Bancao-Bancao and a Memorandum of Agreement with the Samahan ng mga Mamamayan ng Jacana (SMJ), a cooperative composed of informal waste pickers on the said locale.

Project Zacchaeus Forges Stronger Partnership with Bancao-Banco LGU and SMJ

On May 20, 2021, Project Zacchaeus (PZC), through its Eco Kolek Project, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the local government officials of Barangay Bancao-Bancao and a Memorandum of Agreement with the Samahan ng mga Mamamayan ng Jacana (SMJ), a cooperative composed of informal waste pickers on the said locale.

The MOU Signing was in support of the Eco Kolek and Bancao-Bancao LGU’s aim to boost the 3R practices (reducing, reusing, and recycling) and solid waste management (SWM) at the barangay level.

It hopes to improve the well-being and leadership capability of SMJ to become a catalyst of change through 3R and SWM in support of RA 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Program Act of 2000. Barangay Captain Gayjun Dangan promised to give 101% support to the project on his message during the event.

John Vincent Gastanes, Project Director of PZC’s Eco Kolek recalled the seven years of volunteerism in the Jacana community. “We all have our calling, and we are here because we are called for this, to help communities,” he added.

On the other hand, the MOA signing aims to strengthen the collaborative efforts with the project beneficiaries, the Samahan ng Mamamayan ng Jacana, comprising 60 informal waste pickers. It hopes to provide health and safety assistance, leadership empowerment, and skills development to improve their well-being and quality of life.

"Through this partnership, we are reimagining urban waste systems and challenging sectoral norms which in turn would improve and secure the waste collectors’ work environments and enable them with higher income in the future," said John Edgar, Director of the Office of Environment and Energy, USAID Philippines.

Eco Kolek is a grantee of USAID’s Clean Cities, Blue Ocean Program which seeks to support effective, locally-led solutions and approaches in the Philippines for 3R practices and solid waste management strategies that combat marine debris from entering our ocean.