“Every Morning, I Teach My Neighbors”

USAID is proud to be part of the global movement to combat ocean plastic pollution by supporting strong solid waste management in rapidly urbanizing areas around the world. This video is the first in a series featuring USAID’s work to address ocean plastics in the Philippines.

Like many urban areas in the Philippines, Navotas City ─a large coastal city within Metro Manila─ struggles to adequately manage its high volumes of solid waste. The city is known as the ‘fishing capital’ of the Philippines and one of the largest fishing ports in Asia, making plastic accumulation particularly harmful as it threatens the sustainability of the fishing industry.

Working through local partners, USAID established community-based solid waste management committees in Navotas City to promote sustainable and integrated approaches to preventing ocean plastic pollution. The committees recognized that broader behavior change was critical to success, so they trained solid waste management ambassadors who in turn teach families about proper waste separation and raise public awareness on the importance of recycling.

Rosalie Salutana is passionate about preserving the environment for future generations, and strongly believes it is possible to restore a clean, healthy ocean.  As a solid waste management ambassador trained by a USAID grantee, Rosalie is teaching others about waste separation and composting.  She is also earning additional income as a door-to-door collector of recyclable materials.