Vice Gov focuses on anti-plastic ordinance

To continue the advocacy of her late husband former provincial board member Mariano “Nonong” Marcos II, the new Ilocos Norte Vice Governor–Hon. Cecilia Araneta-Marcos has vowed to support the pro-environment program of the provincial government by drawing public awareness about the existing anti-plastic ordinance.

Vice Gov. Cecilia Araneta-Marcos

Records showed that her late husband chaired the Committee on Environment in 2016-2019. He also authored the Ilocos Norte Environmental Code of 2007 which made the framework of norms, standards, and requirements in the restoration and sustainability of nature in the province.

Vice Governor Marcos, also the presiding officer of the Sangguniang Panglalawigan, said she’s passionate about her husband’s pet anti-plastic ordinance in which her SP colleagues’ issue was about the single-use plastic and how to penalize violators.

According to her, the provincial board had tackled ways on how to transform the single-use plastics into useful tools before the ordinance is fully implemented.

Meanwhile, the vice governor commended the “Basura Exchange School Tiangge” Program of Burgos Central Elementary School in Burgos town, where students collect all kinds of garbage such as chip packets, plastic cups, empty bottles, styrofoam and exchange them with school supplies or grocery items. Collected plastic wastes are molded to make eco-bricks.

“I heard about the program and it is parallel to my advocacy— for the local government units to incentivize individuals to collect garbage. If there is no incentive, they will not be motivated to do anything to help solve the plastic problem,” she stressed. – (Blessing Angel V. Agliam, PGIN-CMO)