Women's Month Feature: Roselyn Gomia, The Eco-Warrior Inspiring Discipline Against Plastic Pollution

Meet Roselyn Gomia, a dynamic 34-year-old mother and the respected Secretary of the Samahan ng mga Mamamayan ng Jacana (SMJ) community group. Through sheer dedication, Roselyn has transformed herself into a role model, leading the charge against plastic pollution in her Puerto Princesa neighborhood.

From Gardener to Environmentalist

Roselyn’s daily life is a blend of domestic responsibility and passionate community work. After her morning prayers and household chores, she tends to her beautiful home garden, filled with vegetables and propagated plants she sells to collectors. But her commitment extends beyond her fence: Roselyn is also a tireless Eco-Warrior dedicated to keeping her community clean and green.

The challenge of plastic pollution in Jacana is deeply personal to Roselyn. She recalls her shame when visitors saw garbage strewn everywhere, noting that the community began growing careless with waste management around 2003. This embarrassment motivated her to take action.

Her fight began young. At just 15, Roselyn and her family started collecting plastic from the coastline, selling it to roving buyers. Though the price of plastic has dropped over the years, her commitment has not wavered.

Empowerment Through Eco Kolek

In 2019, Roselyn’s efforts gained momentum when she joined the Eco Kolek project. She was excited by the promise of formal training, schooling, and waste segregation techniques.

Through the program, Roselyn has learned crucial values like discipline and patience, which inform her environmental work. The training has not only taught her how to properly classify waste, but also creative recycling techniques—she now repurposes plastic bottles into unique vases for her plants, showcasing sustainability in action right in her home.

A Message of Dignity and Discipline

Roselyn’s ultimate hope is for her community to completely eliminate plastic waste through effective segregation and recycling, allowing families to earn income from materials transformed into new products.

She passionately advocates for self-discipline, encouraging everyone to avoid littering and properly manage their trash. Moreover, she wants her community to recognize the dignity of the Eco-Warrior profession. Roselyn believes that dedicated waste collectors, with proper support, can earn enough to live comfortably.

Roselyn Gomia is a shining example of how grassroots leadership, combined with educational empowerment from programs like Eco Kolek, can make a profound difference. Her dedication to her community and her fight for a cleaner environment is an inspiration for women and citizens everywhere.