Better opportunities in business and livelihood are provided to residents of Butig and its neighboring communities in Lanao del Sur as the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) officially turns over the first biowaste Granulator in Lanao del Sur to the local government unit (LGU) of Butig.
The P16.4M equipment with various components converts plastic waste and bottles into eco-bricks and biodegradable wastes into fertilizer.
“Sana ito ay maging daan sa sustainable na livelihood at makacreate ito ng job opportunity sa mga mamamayan ng Butig at also the neighboring towns kung saan ilalagay ang proyekto.” DTI Special Concerns Undersecretary Abdulgani Macatoman said in his opening message as he led the official turnover ceremony with Assistant Secretary Ameenah Fajardo.
DTI Undersecretary Abdulgani Macatoman delivers his opening message during the launching of the Waste Processing Livelihood Project in Butig, Lanao del Sur. 
DTI Region 10 OIC-Regional Director Ermedio Abang leads the inspection of the biowaste granulation equipment and its various components for the proper turnover to Butig’s LGU.
The turnover is part of DTI’s efforts to help decommissioned Mori Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) combatants and members of the communities of the six camps as anchored under the Socioeconomic Development Aspect of the Comprehensive Agreement of the Bangsamoro (CAB) as indicated under the memorandum of agreement (MOA) signed between DTI and Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP).
This is also in line with DTI’s involvement as one of the of the government agencies that compose the Inter-Cabinet Cluster Mechanism on Normalization (ICCMN) which was created under Executive Order 79 by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.
EO 79 aims to ensure that key government agencies will work closely for timely and effective implementation of the four main components of the normalization process of the CAB. Aside from socioeconomic development, the remaining components are security, confidence-building measures, and transitional justice and reconciliation.
“Kami po ay natutuwa. Not only that nabigyan kami ng isang napakagandang, napakalaking project, but your presence is enough for us to be happy.” Butig Municipal Mayor Dimnatang Pansar said. “You officials coming in our municipality is just one of the manifestations that Butig is one of the most peaceful town in the region. Nandito tayong lahat para pagtulong-tulungan ang pag-unlad ng isang bayan.” ♦
Date of Release: 22 March 2021