Some women in Basista town are trained to make handicraft products out of recycled solid waste materials. (Photo courtesy of Gellie Saldivar's Facebook account)
BASISTA, Pangasinan -- Some 10 out-of-school youths (OSYs) in this town will undergo a three-day handicraft-making using waste materials training organized by the Solid Waste Management Office (MSWO) here.
Forrester Gellie Saldivar, solid waste management officer of this town, said the training slated from April 2 to 4 is in cooperation with the Pangasinan I Schools Division.
The trainees will learn how to make bags, tissue holders, pencil case, among others, using solid waste materials.
“We will be marketing the bags (products) they would produce and we plan to make a group out of them, so we could ask assistance from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE),” Saldivar said.
Basista town has been advocating the recycling of solid waste materials in this province since last year and has been conducting trainings for different sectors for this project.
Some 26 members of women’s group here (Kalipunan ng Lahing Pilipino), daycare workers, and solo parents were also trained by the MSWO on March 27-29.
“They were taught how to weave newspapers, brochures, telephone directories, (and) even old calendars into bags. They were also taught how to make tissue holders, pencil case, refrigerator cover, apron, cellphone bag, among others,” said Saldivar in recent interview.
The products from recycled paper are priced between PHP70 and PHP300.
“We collect wastes as such packaging of juice drinks, newspaper, telephone directories, brochures, (and) metallic foil packaging of junk foods from the residents in exchange for cash, which are used as materials for our handicraft training,” Saldivar said.
Newspapers are bought at PHP4 per kilo; 25 cents per piece for dried and cleaned juice drink plastic packaging; and PHP3 per kilo of candy wrappers or dried and cleaned metallic foil packaging (junk foods),” she added. (PNA)
