PZC Strengthens 3R Collaboration with LGU

Project Zacchaeus (PZC), in partnership with USAID’s Clean Cities Blue Ocean (CCBO) program, has taken another bold step toward a cleaner and more sustainable Puerto Princesa City by forging a stronger collaborative partnership with the City Government of Puerto Princesa. The partnership aims to promote the 3R practices—reducing, reusing, and recycling—while reinforcing solid waste management (SWM) initiatives across the city.

On March 21, 2022, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was formally signed at the Office of the Mayor, City Hall, by Mayor Lucilo R. Bayron, alongside members of his City Administration and the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO). Representing PZC through its flagship program, Project Eco Kolek, the ceremony symbolized a shared vision and a united effort in addressing one of the city’s most pressing challenges: plastic pollution.

The signing of the MOU is more than just a formal agreement—it is a prelude to a meaningful and long-term partnership. At its heart lies the empowerment of the city’s informal waste collectors (IWCs), whom we proudly call Eco-Warriors. These everyday heroes, often unseen and undervalued, will now be recognized as vital grassroots partners and impact leaders in tackling waste management issues. With the support of both PZC and the LGU, they will be given the tools, knowledge, and opportunities they need to transform their livelihood into a force for environmental change.

Mayor Bayron expressed his support for the initiative, emphasizing how vital it is to unite both public and private stakeholders in pursuing sustainable solutions: “Puerto Princesa is the City in the Forest, and it is our shared responsibility to protect it. This partnership with PZC and CCBO gives us a renewed chance to take stronger, more practical action against waste and pollution.”

For PZC, this collaboration signifies the value of co-creation and shared responsibility. By pooling together resources, expertise, and community-driven solutions, both parties can maximize their impact and ensure long-term benefits for the environment and the people of Puerto Princesa.

This value-creating partnership ensures that neither sector works alone, but rather hand-in-hand, aligning goals and leveraging strengths to make Puerto Princesa a cleaner, greener, and more resilient city. It reflects a strong message: when government, communities, and organizations work together, transformation is not only possible—it is sustainable.

With this partnership, PZC, CCBO, and the City Government reaffirm their collective commitment to preserve the beauty of Puerto Princesa, ensuring that it remains not only a City in the Forest but also a City that Champions Sustainability.

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