La Consolacion College Bacolod President Sr. Flolyn S. Catungal, OSA, challenged students to continue being good stewards of the environment by developing everyday habits that promote the circular economy at home and in their communities, as they do on campus, ahead of the Christmas holiday break.
Sr. Catungal emphasized that recycling and responsible waste practices should not pause when classes end but should instead become part of students’ daily routines, especially during the holidays when waste generation increases.
The call was made as LCC Bacolod expanded its partnerships with recycling organizations through the signing of an agreement with Basic Environment Systems and Technologies (BEST), strengthening the school’s plastic recycling and waste diversion initiatives.
Dr. Rodjhun B. Navarro, vice president for research, innovation and linkages, said the passage of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) law creates opportunities for more recycling organizations to engage with schools and communities. He expressed hope that sustained behavior change among students and institutions would help build long-term support for a circular economy.
LCC Bacolod’s environmental initiatives are anchored on its Institutional Environmental Advocacy Program (IEAP), which has existing partnerships with recycling groups such as Subay Marketing. The college is also taking the lead in establishing Circular Biohubs for community-based organic waste recycling, a project funded by the European Union through the German development agency GIZ.
In addition, LCC Bacolod is implementing the ECOWAVE project in partnership with the University of Kassel in Germany, which aims to capacitate waste workers in the proper dismantling and value recovery of waste from electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE).
The college said these initiatives reflect its continuing commitment to sustainability, environmental education and community-based solutions to solid waste management.