‘Basurera Queen’ crowned Reyna Elena

By Maria Teresa B. Benas

DOLORES, Abra, June 3 (PIA) — The winning candidate in a garbage collection contest was crowned Reyna Elena in the Flores de Mayo sa Barrio in this town’s Barangay Mudiit on May 26.

Naisa Kristel T. Talledo won the garbage collection contest of Kalipunan ng Liping Pilipina (KALIPI) in Mudiit dubbed “Basurera Queen” and as a prize, she was selected as Reyna Elena.

“Basurera Queen” Talledo, a nurse and a KALIPI member, led the Mudiit Santacruzan as Reyna Elena and paraded with her “Sagalas” along the Abra-Kalinga National Road in Mudiit.

The search for the “Basurera Queen” is a waste management program of KALIPI to address the environmental problem of their barangay and at the same time, to provide income-generating venture for the women.

In the “Basurera Queen” contest, Barangay Mudiit was divided into four sectors based on geographical locations. The garbage collected by the groups were brought to the barangay plaza and sold to junk shop owners.

Talledo led the group which was adjudged the winner with the biggest volume of garbage collected and sold.

As a consolation to the other contestants who led their groups in the garbage collection, they were crowned “Sagalas” in the same Santacruzan during their barangay fiesta celebration.

Mudiit Kagawad Nenita Briosos said that the people of Mudiit are very much appreciative of the KALIPI activities in their barangay.

Briosos said that their task of pushing health and sanitation in the barangay had been lessened to a great extent because they no longer need to go out campaigning and soliciting community participation in their various activities because the KALIPI are there voluntarily doing all the job now.

“Since the KALIPI was organized, women have become busy and more responsible mothers and housewives,” she said.

“As a consequence too, quarrelling among women in the barangay had been lessened and the youth and the senior citizens have also been inspired to help the KALIPI in their activities,” she added.

The KALIPI-Mudiit Chapter was organized in August 2012 through Noemi Bachiller, the Provincial Focal Person for Women Concerns under the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office, and Maria Teresa Benas of Philippine Information Agency, who is the Provincial Federation President, with the help of Glorifina Mangoltag, the school nurse coordinator of the Department of Education. (JDP/MTBB-PIA CAR,Abra)#