Estero kids learn to manage trash through toy libraries

David Lozada

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Estero kids learn to manage trash through toy libraries
A group of college students plans to build toy libraries for children living along one of the unsafest canals in Metro Manila

MANILA, Philippines – When a group of Development Studies juniors from Ateneo de Manila had their immersion in Estero de Paco in Manila, they saw the harsh realities the children are facing.

“The children had neither playgrounds nor any good toys. They would play with balikbayan boxes, candy wrappers, and styro containers. Worse, they would contribute to the waste along the river because they would just throw stuff there,” Erwin Yaptangco, the group’s leader, said.

One of the kids he met during his immersion, Yaptangco  said, would go around the material recovery facility (MRF) to look for toys he can play with. “He’ll just sit there and play with anything he can salvage,” he said.

Estero de Paco is one of the urban poor communities in Metro Manila. Many informal settlers live in this part of the Pasig River. And where there are people, there’s trash.

In 2011, organizations like the River Warriors had been cleaning up the estero (canal). Most of the adults in the community have been involved in the clean up, but the awareness campaign had not trickled down to the children.

“The people help clean up the canal but no one looks after the children, so they end up adding to the trash,” Stefano Castillo, a group member, said.

‘A safe place to play in’

After their immersion – and as one of their requirements for class – the group thought of creating a place where the kids can play and learn about proper waste management. Hence, PACOlayin ang Estero de Paco was born. 

Yaptangco’s group, in coordination with the local government unit (LGU), chose one of the daycare centers in Barangay 686 to put up a toy library – a safer, less hazardous place for the kids.

“We chose the barangay with the most number of kids. At first, we wanted to have a mobile toy library to go around the communities beside the canal, but it wasn’t sustainable because Estero de Paco stretches 2.1 kilometers,” Yaptangco said.

TOYS. These are some of the toys the group of Ateneo students donated to the toy library.

The group held donation drives to gather toys for the kids. Through their garage sales, they were able to raise funds to buy educational materials and buy more toys. 

“Since the children are now in one place, we were able to teach waste management and environmental protection to the kids. We created a storybook module for them,” Castillo said. 

The toy library in Barangay 686 was formally turned over to the LGU in March 14. But the group’s work doesn’t stop there.

Ensuring sustainability, expansion

To ensure the sustainability of their project, the group partnered with the Philippine Toy Library to monitor if more toys are needed. The teacher of the daycare also keeps track if the toys are contributing to the children’s welfare. 

“Philippine Toy Library visits the area two to three times a year. A part of their agreement is that they will replenish the toys when needed,” Yaptangco said.

The group now wants to expand their project to cover all the 15 barangays along Estero de Paco. 

FOR THE KIDS. Erwin Yaptangco (6th from left) and his group pose in front of the day care center in Barangay 686 during the turnover of the toy library.

“We’ll know by this summer – from April to August – if the project is sustainable. If it is, we’re planning to build a toy library in all the barangays,” Yaptangco said. 

But the group needs help in getting more toys to give to the kids of Estero de Paco. The project, they said, would help ensure the sustainability of the bigger project – the clean up of the Pasig River.

“We really see the need for this project. Beyond inculcating environmental awareness to the kids, we want a safe place for them to play even if they live along one of the unsafest canals in Metro Manila,” Yaptangco concluded. – Rappler.com

You can help the PACOlayin ang Estero project by donating toys to the group. For more information, email PACOlayin@gmail.com, follow their Facebook page, or their Twitter account @PACOlayin. 

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