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Sustainable Travelling:
Choose to Reuse Campaign
Barangay Marulas as a Flood Prone Area
Valenzuela is located north of Manila. It is bounded in the north by Meycauayan and Caloocan (NE), Quezon City in the east, Manila in the south and Malabon and Navotas in the west. Valenzuela City have access to Manila Bay via the Malabon wetlands.
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One of the barangays in Valenzuela named as barangay Marulas one on the flood prone areas in the city experience heavy floods during rainy days.
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According to Valenzuela City Integrated Flood Risk Management, The City of Valenzuela is located in an area which is susceptible to frequent typhoons and intense tropical storms. The topographic characteristics show that about 25% of the City is below sea level making natural drainage very difficult. The combination of the above factors exposes Valenzuela City to frequent and severe flooding as the existing systems can no longer cope, in addition to the impacts due to climate change.
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Aside this Valenzuela City is well known as the "Plastic City" Not because its beauty that inspired those artists to make plastic-themed songs, nor because the city is built entirely from plastic. But because the city is filled with plastic waste, that the condition is so pathetic and unhealthy.
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Before talking about the newest condition of the town, let’s first talk about how this city that used to be another normal city became a Plastic City. Valenzuela is a city with plastic manufacturing as its trademark since decades ago.
The local government is under the leadership of Gatchalians. William Gatchalian itself is known as plastic king, with possession of 60 hectares of “Plastic Estate” in the city itself.
This is the reason why banning plastic didn’t seem like an option for the citizen in the city, even though 11 of 16 other cities located in Metro Manila have done it.
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Plastic City
Plastic is incredibly useful and practical – and everywhere. Our modern life depends on it.
Everything from home items, medical devices, and banknotes to packaging, automobiles, buildings, and fishing nets are made of this strong, lightweight material.
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Despite how useful plastic is, excessive usage and poor waste management practices have made it one of the most widespread pollutants on the globe. It's a crisis that affects every corner of the globe, smothering our rivers and oceans, polluting our food, air, and water supplies, and accelerating climate change.
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The locals’ dependence to plastic makes it almost impossible to ban plastic. The presence of mountains of waste, with 60% of it was registered as plastic waste, obviously bad for the environment. Plastic waste is responsible for huge flooding during rainy season in Valenzuela by blocking water canals.
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Let's help save our nature and save our future from disasters and calamities by being plastic pollution-free!
Don't know how and when to start?
Watch our vodcast to hear our what youth can help to save our environment!
Use our hashtag #ChooseToReuse
# ChooseToReuse
Problem:
Non stop flooding during rainy days Everyday, plastic waste negatively impacts the ecosystem, habitats, human health and sustainable development across the world. Despite the vast scale of the problem, the general public and other important stakeholders have not been adequately engaged and educated on how they can become part of the solution.
Broad public awareness can help to change the way that plastic is viewed, used and managed as waste. Education and engagement can be part of a city’s strategic action plan, and can include consumer awareness campaigns, business awareness campaigns, documentary films, school initiatives and cleanup activities, among others.
The aim is to increase public understanding and shape community perceptions on the dangers of plastic pollution and available solutions, thereby empowering more people and organizations to take action. Community actions can include changes in individual attitudes and purchasing habits, increased sorting and reusing behavior, responsible business processes and practices, among others.
Let's travel while preserving our future mga ka-Biyahe!
