Scavenger collects P1,000 worth of plastic bottle waste during Traslacion

NAZARENO’S BLESSING. Jonathan Flores was all smiles as he carried two sacks of plastic bottles left by devotees who took part in the Traslacion on Thursday, Jan. 9, in Quiapo, Manila. PHOTO COURTESY OF KURT DELA PEÑA/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines – What most people consider litter is now a “blessing” to scavengers in Quiapo, Manila, especially during the procession of Jesus Nazareno.

Jonathan Flores, 49, was all smiles on Thursday, Jan. 9, as he carried two sacks of plastic bottles left by devotees who took part in the Traslacion.

“Parang ito na ang blessing sa amin ni Jesus Nazareno (It seems like this is a blessing for us from Jesus Nazareno),” he told INQUIRER.net.

He said that aside from the two sacks of plastic bottles he collected from Quezon Boulevard, he also gathered some from Quezon Bridge.

“Limang taon na akong nangangalakal ‘pag Traslacion (I’ve been doing this for five years already),” he said, adding that he is happy he collected a lot this year.

For Flores, plastic bottles hold a different meaning, saying, “Basura sa iba pero sa amin, ang mga ito ay biyaya.” (For others, these are just trash, but for us, these are blessings.)

Last year, the City of Manila’s Department of Public Service collected 158 truckloads of garbage from areas where devotees converged.

Flores, however, explained that with everything he had collected since the eve of the Traslacion, he could earn P1,000 or more at the junk shop.

“Talagang malaking bagay na, kasi sa karaniwang araw, P200 lang ang kinikita ko (This is a big deal since I only earn P200 on a regular day),” he said.

Based on data from the Manila Public Information Office, the crowd in Quiapo already reached 170,000 as of 11 a.m.

READ: Nazareno 2025: Traslacion kickoff draws 230,000 devotees