Recycled Tarpaulins Used During Elections as Source of Livelihood for Dasmarinas Cavite Residents

bags made from used tarpaulins

The campaign tarpaulins used by reelected Senator Cynthia Villar have been become a source of livelihood by the residents of Dasmariñas, Cavite. The tarps were recycled into eco bags to provide livelihood to the women of Dasmariñas. During the 90-day campaign period, the Comelec encouraged candidates to use recyclable and environment-friendly materials in campaign paraphernalia.

Sen. Cynthia Villar's old tarpaulins turned into useful bags

Villar asked a group of women in Cavite to make marketing and utility bags for the tarpaulin recycling project.

The chairwoman of the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources said: "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." Christine Joy Ferrer, 27, of MXD Tailoring started the project at the garage of her rented apartment. She borrowed her sewing machines from her sister who's shop recently closed. “I have just started with my own business two months ago and here Sen. Villar commissioned me to do the bags. This is a big help for me and my sewers,“ said Ferrer. Collected tarps at 2 x 3 feet are sewn into a bag each for a price of P16.00. The group was able to produce 550 bags in a week's time. Her team of four sewers expect to do more as tarps collected from the provinces will be coming will be coming soon.

Sewers actively turn the old tarpaulins into useful bags

Ferrer said she is happy to earn additional income from the project without leaving home and seeing her children ages 10-17 while working. Currently, finished bags have dimension 12 x 18 x 4 inches. The printed side is I side that makes the bag all white in color.

These “environment-friendly substitute” to the usual plastic bags will be given for free to push the senator's advocacy on plastic recycling.

The tarpaulin bags are ready to be given away

The senator has been active in plastic recycling project creating school chairs out of plastics. At the plastic factory in her hometown, in Las Piñas, a 20 kilo soft plastics like food wrappers are recyled and turned into plastic chair which are given for free in public schools nationwide.