By Atom L. Pornel
Vendors from Tawi-Tawi in southern Philippines have come up with an alternative packaging to eliminate the use of plastics by using baskets made from coconut leaves.
The fruits and vegetable vendors of Bongao use baskets made entirely of coconut leaves locally called “Sulingkat” to transport and to display their farm produce in the market.
According to Jan Darren Guiwan, the travel blogger who took and shared the photos of Tawi-Tawi vendors in social media, the locals said it’s way of reducing the use of single-use plastics.
Meanwhile, various Filipino organizations and institutions have been advocating sustainability by using alternatives to plastics used in food preparation and packaging.
The Liberty Commercial Center in Albay also went “green” by using banana leaves in wrapping their vegetables instead of using plastics.
Quezon National High School in Lucena City has started to use banana leaves and Manila paper in serving hot meals to the students.
The Wala Usik school canteen of Bulata National High School in Negros Occidental has been using bamboo mugs, coconut shell bowls, and plates from banana leaves instead of those made from plastic materials.
Good News Pilipinas