Re-elected Senator Cynthia Villar has tapped a group of women to transform her election campaign materials into bags.
Villar’s election tarpaulins are now being made into bags by women from a small tailoring business in Dasmariñas, Cavite.
The chair of the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources said the group employs four mothers as sewers.
“We are very glad that we have now a way for the proper disposal of these used tarpaulins. Through this initiative, we were not only able to recycle used tarpaulins into something useful, we were also able to help women earn additional income for their families,” Villar said in statement.
At least 550 bags were produced by the MXD Tailoring from the 2 x 3 feet tarpaulins collected by Villar’s office. The bags measure 12 x 18 x 4 inches.
The shop is expected to make more bags as tarpaulins collected from other provinces arrive.
Villar said tarpaulin bags are “the more durable and environment-friendly substitute for plastic bags.”
She said she will distribute the bags for free to “further promote her advocacy for plastic recycling.”
On the last day of their session for the 17th Congress on Tuesday, Villar was seen giving some of the bags to her fellow senators in the Senate plenary.
Aside from the tarpaulin recycling, the Nacionalista Party senator earlier initiated a plastic recycling project that turn plastic wastes into school chairs.
These chairs were donated to different public schools all over the country. (Vanne Terrazola)
