Bacolod City launches ‘trash to cashback’ program

A business establishment in Bacolod City segregates its wastes creatively. File Photo

BACOLOD CITY — The city government on Monday launched a “Trash to Cashback” program to address its garbage problem and enable residents to earn from it.

Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said he wanted to get rid of the city’s massive garbage, one of his administration’s priority programs.

“If your trash can be exchanged for cash, would you still throw it away? We are thinking that if the trash has value and we can get something out of it, you would not want to throw it away anymore,” he said.

Benitez said waste segregation at the source had also been a challenge even if the local government and environmental groups repeatedly campaign for it.

“I’ve been hearing about segregation for several years now, but it is very difficult to do. It’s hard to discipline people to segregate at the source,” the mayor said.

The “Trash to Cashback” program, he said, would encourage the public to segregate their garbage and avail of the waste-to-goods exchange.

The program is a tie-up between waste management company Basic Environmental Systems and Technologies Inc. and cashback loyalty platform bXTRA Philippines.

The initiative follows a specific point matrix per recyclable item. The points can be used to buy groceries, goods, and services from the bXTRA application or at its onsite center at the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC).

To earn a cashback, a person has to create an account at bxtra.com.ph of bXTRA Philippines, the official cashback partner of the Trash to Cashback Program, using one email address.

Or they can scan the QR (quick response) code at the IPM-Construction and Development Corp. booth, where the registered user can claim their cashback card.

Through the account, residents can exchange garbage such as paper, plastic, and metals for environmental points, equivalent to cashback that one can redeem for grocery items, food, drinks, and other items.

Benitez said even used cooking oil that is dangerous to health, if reused, could be collected and converted into diesel to fuel shredders and grass cutters.

“The plan is for the city to eventually have a centralized waste recovery recycling complex. Eventually, the goal is to give money for those who segregate their waste in the barangays,” he said.

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