UNIVERSITY CENTER FOR GENDER AND DEVELOPMENT AND RELATED STUDIES – The center conducted a forum on family values and a skills training on solid waste recycling to women-residents of Brgy. Quiling Sur in Batac City, April 12.

Dr. Criselda M. Balisacan emphasized in her lecture on “Family Values and Poverty” that family values begin at home. According to her, the parents’ main obligation is to educate and inculcate in their children’s minds the essential values of human life. She said values are attitudes about the worth or importance of people, concepts, or things which influence one’s behavior in deciding between alternatives. She added that a strong value guides one’s action in setting priorities.  

On the other hand, Prof. Beatriz S. Malab spoke on Ecological Solid Waste Management (ESWM) and pointed out ESWM activities such as the control, transfer and transport, processing, and disposal of solid wastes within the context of resource conservation, environmental protection, and health, and sustainable development. She focused on the 5Rs of ESWM: refuse, reduce, recover, re-use; and recycle. She encouraged the participants to practice such in their respective homes.

The women were taught to make pillows using recycled plastic wrappers. The participants eagerly followed the easy steps as follows: 1) collecting used plastic wrappers and soaking the dirty ones; 2) rinsing and hanging them in order to dry; 3) cutting the cleaned plastic wrappers; and 4) filling in the pillow cases.

Prof. Malab showed the group a finished hotdog pillow. She encouraged them to produce other creative materials such as stuffed toys, cushions, and mattresses using the said plastic wrappers. She requested Dr. Cristina Coloma, chief for Program Accreditation and Quality Assurance, and professor at CBEA, to assist in the marketing of produced plastic pillows and mattresses.

Prof. Malab further challenged the barangay leaders to ensure the implementation of ordinances on ESWM and become a model of “solid waste utilization into cash.”

A total of 55 individuals attended the forum cum livelihood training program.