Barangay Chairmen,  Barangay Kagawads,  School Heads,  LGU MENRO and Municipal Administrator  of Mambusao attended the assessment  and discussion  on solid waste management  and  education facilitated  by Dr.  Nene Guevara of Synergeia Foundation.   Participants  were  very candid  in sharing  the  state of  SWM in their community and  expressed openness  in  working together and  finding  doable  solutions  to improve  the state  of  solid waste in the locality.  

Mambusao is a three-time winner of the Seal of Good Education Governance.   It  was a recipient  of  a special award  at the  National Education Summit held  in  February 2025.    However,  the latest  pre-assessment results  in CRLA  showed  that only 1.95%  of  children in Grade 1  are grade ready.   When asked about the reasons or factors for the low score,  school heads  said  that teachers were unable to teach well their  students  because  the reading materials provided by DepEd do not match the context of  students in  a specific grade level.   The materials  lack the “basics” on how students  should  learn reading.   They also expressed that most parents  were unable to support children’s learning at home due to work and livelihood activities.     The school head  of Bungsi Elementary School  expressed  that healthy learning institutions need to be developed in school to take care of  teachers and students’  mental health.   She said healthy physical school environment, healthy school policies, links between teachers and parents, access to health services in schools and health education are important  to a child’s  overall well being.

Random assessment of Barangays’ solid waste management

Challenges  and  Issues:  Garbage Collection and Disposal system

• Community residents’ refusal to follow laws/ordinances
• Lack of discipline among residents
• Habitual dumping of garbage any where
• There is no segregation
• Barangays do not have vehicles that can be used to haul  garbage 
• Wastes  that are scattered all over the place are attributed to stray dogs and cats
• Every week,  barangay officials  and community volunteers conduct cleanup e.g.  they  pick trash from the streets and consolidate garbage  for  pick up of garbage truck.
• Residual wastes such as diapers and sanitary napkins are disposed  by digging pits
• Plastic bottles are consolidated  and sold to junk shops – some residents and barangays do this
• There are ambulant vendors in town
• Being a progressive town,  it generates  a huge  quantity of garbage 
•  The LGU has a dumpsite  which is termed  by the MENRO (Sir Desam Montorio)  as   ‘Controlled Waste Disposal Facility”.   All residual wastes  are transferred there.   The dumpsite is controlled in the sense that it is “open and closed”  on designated schedule.  The  DENR has  called the attention of the MENRO so the dumpsite  is  now being controlled.
• The LGU has  a Ten-Year Solid Waste Management Plan until 2027.  

Plans and Proposed  Actions on Education

1. Literacy and Numeracy Program for non-grade ready and slow emerging  students
2. ARAL Program implementation (Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning)
3. Teachers Training  – new developments in instructional delivery and  new learnings
4. Reading materials and books that are not the same as what DepEd provides.   What’s needed are materials  and books  for developing learners,  “dapat mas mababa sa grade level since students cannot understand those from their grade level” (SH of Bungsi E/S)
5. More printed   work exercises and worksheets  that can be used  by students to gain mastery of the subject
6. Provision of bond paper and ink  for teachers so they can  create their own exercise and learning materials.  MOOE budget  cannot finance  additional bond paper  and printer ink.  They need 120 reams of bond paper to print learning exercises and materials.  A barangay chairman committed to provide a ream of bond paper to the barangay school
7. Barangay leaders and teachers must work together by   supporting students’   education needs  to  improve performance
8. How to address absenteeism of students .  These students are not given failing grades and instead are given interventions  so they can cope with the lessons.    These students   help their parents in farming  and  livelihood activities  (treated child labor by participants)
9. The Brgy Chairman of Caguidquid supports the schools in his barangay.   He funded the school’s  handwashing  facility and  perimeter fence.   He is very supportive  of  school programs

Needs and  Proposed Actions on SWM

1. Preparation of  Barangay SWM Plans and process of implementation
2. Capacity building on proper  waste segregation – how to reduce,   dispose  residuals and waste recycling/upcycling
3. Waste segregation in schools  with  MRF
4. The LGU must have a  budget allocation  for  SWM or environment similar to the GAD and DRRM.    According to the MENRO,  it is high time  for the national govt  to allow LGUs to have SWM budget because  the DENR has imposed strict rules on waste management.