Volunteers make trash beneficial for the living in the day of the dead
Clad in a gray shirt and white pants, some volunteers from the Tzu Chi Foundation mill around the throngs of people trooping to the Manila North Cemetery on Sunday to pick up recyclable waste.
The foundation set up seven stations across the 54-hectare cemetery where they gather recyclable waste like used paper, plastic bottles, plastic and cartons sourced from donations from visitors or trash left on the streets.
There were 140 volunteers deployed in the area to pick up waste.
Angie Villanueva, Tzu Chi Foundation volunteer coordinator assigned to the Manila North Cemetery, told INQUIRER.net that the proceeds of their environmental protection program will fund medical and relief services conducted by their foundation.
“The proceeds from these recyclable wastes will go to the foundation’s charity program. The charity program composed of medical missions, eye check-ups and even the distribution of free dentures,” Villanueva said.
Meanwhile, Villanueva said that aside from raising funds, they are also seeking to educate people to dispose their trash properly and to use recyclable materials.
She said that for the past three years that she was stationed at the cemetery, the amount of trash they obtained decreased.
And they are happy with the trend.
“As time goes by, people are realizing that we are not just here to get funds for our charity but more importantly, we are here to educate them on what to do with the trash they brought to the cemetery,” Villanueva said.
Aside from the Manila North, the foundation has set up similar stations in eight other cemeteries across Metro Manila, including La Loma, Holy Cross and Manila South cemeteries.
