Mayor eyes Miss Philippines Fire as ambassadress for environment

MAYOR Jennie Rosalie T. Uy on Friday has expressed optimism that her advocacy for a cleaner environment in the town of Villanueva  in Misamis Oriental will be given a major push with the help of Nellza “Ella” Bautista, who was recently crowned as Miss Philippines Fire.Ella returned in her hometown in Villanueva on August 25 via the Laguindingan airport in Misamis Oriental where she was given a “hero’s welcome.”
Finally, said Mayor Uy, Ella is back almost four months since she left for Manila to join the pageant.
“I am happy because Ella won the title that has something to do with the environment and  I hope that Ella can collaborate with our advocacy to properly implement the Solid Waste Management (SWM) program of the government as mandated under Republic Act (RA) no. 9003,” said Mayor Uy.
“Dugay na man ng Republic Act 9003,” she said.
RA 9003, otherwise known as an act providing for an ecological solid waste management program, creating the necessary institutional mechanisms and incentives, declaring certain acts prohibited and providing penalties, appropriating funds therefor, and for other purposes, became into law in 2001.
Mayor Uy said the town of Villanueva is now having a hard time when it comes to garbage disposal after the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) ordered the town’s sanitary landfill in Barangay San Martin closed.
With its closure, she encouraged the residents to practice proper waste disposal at home.
“Ang basura dili lang problema sa LGUs (Local Government Units) kung dili problema sab sa katawhan,” said Mayor Uy.
After 15 months, the mayor said that she will ask Ella to become the town’s ambassadress for environment.
For her part, Ella urged the youths, parents and the community people to help the local government of Villanueva in its campaign on proper waste disposal.
She ended her talks by saying: “Mother Earth can live without us, but we cannot live without the Mother Earth.”