Alaminos seeks to become Zero Waste City

ALAMINOS CITY, March 2 (PNA) -- The city of Alaminos forged a partnership with the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) in line with its vision to become a Zero Waste City in the future. Mayor Hernani Braganza said GAIA is a global civil society network that is championing Zero Waste as a vehicle for health, environmental and climate protection and for green jobs and enterprises. It is also a global alliance that discourages burning of wastes, considered as a move that can further induce green house effect that results in global warming which is being tagged as the reason for the current climate change all over the world. Braganza said the establishment of the citys material recovery facility coupled with adoption of its own Zero Waste Alaminos City Project is in support of the realization of Alaminos' vision to become a green vibrant city in the next five to seven years. In the 2010 Search for Cleanest, Greenest and Safest City sponsored by the Regional Development Council (RDC) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Alaminos placed second to Urdaneta City with Candon City in Ilocos Sur winding in third place. Also last year, Alaminos was also recipient of the 2010 Likas Yaman Award for Environmental Excellence from the DENR. The Best LGU Initiated Environmental Project Award was also conferred to the city for its pioneering efforts in the conservation, protection and rehabilitation of its vast ecosystem and rich natural resources. Mayor Braganza said for the last five years, the city had also received several citations and awards from the provincial government, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and RDC Region 1. These include the 2006 Most Outstanding CRM (Coastal Resources Management) Implementer in Region I and in 2007 for Best Coastal Municipality and City in Pangasinan, making Alaminos a certified environmental champion. Braganza said it was during a seminar on Sustainable Eco-tourism where he introduced the city of Alaminos to foreign tourists and investors and to the advocates of environmental protection. At the same time, the mayor also enumerated what his administration has done so far to protect, conserve and rehabilitate the Hundred Islands National Park (HINP), Pangasinan's number one tourist destination. He led in the efforts to effectively develop and manage the Alaminos Citys natural resources in order to improve both the local economy and the quality of life of his city mates. (PNA) DCT/LDV/LVM/LMM/rma