“Circular economy” program launched in Baguio City

BAGUIO CITY (January 31, 2025) -- City officials launched Friday, January 31, 2025, its “circular economy” program seeking to minimize and transform wastes into resources for a more resilient and environmentally sustainable urban future.

The launch attended by European Union-Green Economy Programme in the Philippines (EU-GEPP)/Green LGUs Project manager Dr. Moeko Saito-Jensen, United Nations Development, European Union Programme Manager Ileana Miritescu, Programme Resident Representative Dr. Selva Ramachandran, Delegation of the European Union in the Philippines Head of Cooperation Dr. Marco Gemmer, Dept. of Interior and Local Government Asst. Secretary for International Relations Lilian De Leon and Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo, focused on attaining an “impactful behavioral shift from linear to circular economy” aware that the biggest challenge to attaining effective waste management and other tenets of a circular economy would be changing the behavior or mindset of the people.

Jensen, Miritescu, Ramachandran and Gemmer shared overviews of the tenets and ideals of the circular economy and the EU-GEPP/Green LGUS Project.

Mayor Benjamin Magalong charted the city’s circular economy program and future directions, while Councilor Betty Lourdes Tabanda who chairs the city council committee on environment, nutrition and health provided the city’s circular economy policy direction.

Details on strategies for communicating and advocating Baguio’s circular economy programs and accelerating behavioral change were shared by City Planning Development and Sustainability Office Coordinator Arch. Donna Tabangin, explaining the city’s circular economy portfolios of Bida Barangay, Circular Tourism Enterprises and Green Education.

She also unveiled the city’s circular economy motto of “Panagsa-nopen,” an indigenous term which means gathering and saving as a community effort, circular economy symbol of taro being an indigenous no-waste produce and the city’s circular economy logo depicting 17 differently colored bars forming a circle to represent the 17 sustainable development goals, the taro and the motto.

While General Services Office Eugene Buyucan presented the sectoral exhibits on circular economy featuring products and services of the city’s circular economy programs.

Stakeholders committed on embracing and practicing the circular economy’s programs and principles during the program.
For months now since the program’s inception in October last year through the guidance of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) which chose Baguio as one of the 20 local government unit grantees of the GEPP-Green LGUs project, Baguio City through the Circular Economy Action Team and partners from multi-sectoral groups have worked to finalize programs and action plans on circular economy.

A series of workshops participated in by civil society organizations, academe, micro small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) yielded outputs on portfolios or programs on the ten circular economy principles of recover, recycle, repurpose, remanufacture, refurbish, repair, reuse, reduce, rethink and refuse and more are expected as the city implements the programs in the community. 

The activities all geared towards achieving zero if not minimized waste goals through structured waste management solutions.

The GEPP is an initiative of the DENR and the EU as a five-year project aiming “to enhance waste management, support the transition to a circular economy, and accelerate the deployment of renewable energy technologies” by providing avenues for “policy dialogue, circular economy development and renewable energy promotion” to LGU grantees.

Through collaboration with the LGUs and the private sector, the program seeks “to recycle 20,000 tons of plastic waste by 2028, create green jobs and support waste reduction strategies and to help the Philippines achieve its climate commitments, including a 75 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.”

The Green LGUs project where the city is one of the 20 recipients, is one of the objectives of the GEPP in collaboration with the DILG, the UNDP and the Dept. of Trade and Industry.  It dreams to enhance circular economy practices of LGUs in collaboration with the private sector and the civil society groups.