In close coordination with Bustos, Bulacan Municipal City Councilor Willy Canoza, the WeGen Social Transformation Team was able to give a presentation to the Bustos, Bulacan Sangguniang Bayan (SB) leadership last August 9, 2022. The audience was comprised specifically of the municipal councilors, barangay councilors, and heads of various municipal hall departments and units. Councilor Canoza as head of the Municipal Committee on the Environment invited the ST Team to provide a talk a climate change basic concepts and orientation on environmentally-sound waste management practices.
The Team was also able to get an audience with Bustos Mayor Francis Albert G. Juan.
The SB Hall audience numbered some 40 people in all, counting members of the SB staff and students who were on an exposure activity as “junior council members”.
Councilor Canoza said that it was important to refresh the orientation of all the Environment Committee members when it comes to climate change and how it has to do with waste management practices. He said that practicing care for the environment starts with self-awareness and individual commitment to not litter and be good examples as parents.
“We cannot say that we care for the environment when we ourselves are careless about how we get rid of the trash in our homes and our communities. Our children will see how we act and live by our words, so it’s important to set a good example for them in our daily lives,” he said.
After giving the talk, the ST Team explained WeGen’s social transformation agenda of education and advocacy and told the officials to feel free to invite the Team to hold education talks either online or in person in the municipal schools and the rest of the communities.
The ST Team also thanked the Mayor for his full support for the ST Team’s work. Mayor Juan said that he himself is a strong advocate for the environment and wants to implement a comprehensive education and advocacy program on the same for the municipality. He graciously invited the WeGen ST Team to continue coordinating with Councilor Willy’s office as well as his own to put together a schedule for discussions and related activities engaging the municipal government staff and community youth leadership under the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK). Mayor Juan invited the team to return on August 28 for a municipal hall activity with the SK.
The Team also committed to continuing working with Councilor Canoza on the activities and campaigns of his office regarding environmental concerns.
According to reports, Bustos is a 2nd-class municipality and has a population of 77,199 as of the 2020 Census, and a land area of 69.99 square kilometers. It consists of 14 barangays. In the 2022 elections, the municipality has 48,827 registered voters.#