LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – The Cordillera Career Development College here is now strictly imposing the single-use plastic ban during the 33rd Baguio Benguet Educational Athletic League (BBEAL).
Tournament commissioner and school athletic director Eduardo Laureano has briefed all athletic directors and coaches from the 10 school-members BBEAL that single-use plastic has since been banned by the school.
The CCDC is one of the Benguet school members of the BBEAL with neighbor Benguet State University.
The others, all found in Baguio, are the Pines City College, the Baguio Central University, the University of the Philippines, Baguio College of Technology, the big three schools of Saint Louis University, University of Baguio and University of the Cordilleras and the Philippine Military Academy.
Laureano said the policy must be observed until the end of games in late March when the elimination games are over and start of the semifinals and even final games, which are expected to be played in the school’s Admirals gym.
He, however, agreed that non-CCDC players can still consume the content of the bottle, provided that it will be the last day and the player must be responsible to bring his or her trash with him at the end of the day’s competition.
He added that tarps on the policy have been posted all around the campus to remind visiting teams that plastic is not allowed within the campus and the canteens do not sell liquids in plastic containers.
“We expect to be hosting more games here as host, especially with the annual sports meet for elementary and high school to be staged in Baguio late March,” he said.
Meanwhile, CCDC president-emeritus James Malaya, who acts as this year’s BBEAL chair, said as early as November last year, the school has banned single-use plastic, as well as Styrofoam containers and utensils within the campus.
“Plastic has been one of the major causes of clogged sewerages within the campus as well as the creeks outside of the school,” said Malaya.
On Nov. 5, 2019, CCDC President Sherry Junette Malaya-Tagle, Malaya’s daughter, signed the No More Plastics College Memorandum 7, which also provides the guidelines to promote “Eco-friendly practices and prohibiting single-use plastic and Styrofoam containers and utensils towards a plastic-free and styro-free campus.”
Saint Louis University athletic director Honey Mangaoang-Garcia said her school has adopted a similar policy banning single-use plastic within its campuses. – PNA
April 16, 2024