A Bioreactor facility of Margosatubig, Zamboanga del Sur was recently visited by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary, Dr. Estrella F. Alabastro along with some officials of the central office, research and development councils and institutes, and DOST IX management and staff last 26 September 2009. The visit was part of the Secretary’s 3-day project site tour to the different projects under DOST IX.
The Bioreactor facility is a DOST developed technology and was adopted by the Local Government Unit of Margosatubig in response to the municipalities problems on waste management and disposal and in compliance to the Ecological Solid Wastes Management Act of 2003 or RA 9003. With the 500-kg bioreactor, the municipality’s biodegradable waste are processed and converted into usable farm inputs or organic composts reducing the volume of landfill disposal. An average of 2.5 tons of compost are being produced every month and is sold at P 4.00/kg to the local farmers.
Seeing the benefits of the bioreactor facility, other municipalities in the region have also indicated interest to adopt and implement the same project as part of their solid wastes management initiatives. These municipalities are: Dumalinao, Lakewood, Kumalarang and Tambulig in Zamboanga del Sur; and Talusan, in Zamboanga Sibugay. Two (2) bioreactor facilities in barangay Balangasan, Pagadian City and one (1) in Imelda, Zamboanga Sibugay are in full operations.
At the end of the year, DOST-IX hopes to establish a total of nine (9) bioreactors in the region. Cost of technology intervention amounting to 398,000.00 php for the bioreactor facility in Marbosatubig was funded by DOST SETUP and DOST-IX Local Grant-In-Aid Program.
