NAVOTAS CITY,  PHILIPPINES – The Philippine Red Cross (PRC), Spanish Red Cross (SRC), and the local government of Navotas inked a memorandum of agreement on the project entitled: “Promotion of Green and Circular Economy Through Civil Society Engagement and Good Governance in Highly Urbanized Coastal Cities in the Philippines” on August 30, 2024. 

According to the agreement, the Navotas LGU will be a key partner of PRC and SRC for the implementation of the project in its four barangays: NBBS Kaunlaran, NBBS Dagat-dagatan, NBBS Proper, and North Bay Boulevard North. 

Funded by the European Union and Eibarko Udala, the project which was launched in December 2022 aims to reduce waste and provide livelihood by promoting sustainable development and a circular economy in three coastal cities in the country: Zamboanga City (six barangays), Manila City (one barangay), and Navotas City (four barangays). The project will expand to cover more areas as it targets 200,000 beneficiaries by 2025. 

Moreover, the project emphasizes reducing the use of single-use plastics, reusing materials, and fostering behavioral change to create a system where nothing ends up in landfills. By promoting a circular economy, it seeks to build stronger, more resilient communities while addressing the environmental challenges of waste and pollution. 

The project has two components: first, enhancing Solid Waste Management (SWM) that can be achieved by providing LGUs and citizens, especially garbage collectors the proper technical training on SWM. Secondly, providing livelihood which can be attained through organizing community savings groups (CSGs) which not only support their financial needs but also promote social cohesion. 

“We aim to achieve a cleaner, more sustainable, and progressive Navotas City. This program can also be a model program that can be replicated by other cities in the country. We also aim to be effective in waste management, providing livelihood, and promoting a circular economy. Through this project, we are not only protecting the environment and promoting sustainability, we also build stronger and more resilient communities for generations to come,” said PRC Secretary-General Dr. Gwen Pang. 

Spanish Red Cross Head of Delegation Maria Grazia Pressacco shared that “Working on this 

project is very challenging because It’s something new. But we believe that this project is something really important for humanity because we are facing the challenges of climate change every day.” 

“Today is a significant milestone to join hands with PRC and SRC to promote this project. Navotas City is one of the biggest fishports so the main industry here is fishing. It’s very important that we have clean water so we have more fish to catch. Our city is also the only city that hosts a landfill in Metro Manila. We allow others to dump there. Although our city earns from that, we’ve decided to close it next year. This project happened at the most opportune time, as we face the challenge of reducing waste,” Navotas City Mayor Hon. John Reynald Tiangco added. 

As of August 30, the project was able to conduct research studies, workshops, training, organize CSGs, community engagement activities, and volunteer recruitment, among others. 

Signatories of the MOA were PRC Secretary-General Dr. Gwen Pang, Navotas City Mayor Hon. John Reynald Tiangco, Spanish Red Cross Head of Delegation Maria Grazia Pressacco, and Acting City Environment and Natural Resources Officer EnP. Yzabela Bernardina Nazal-Habunal.