a real eco house in cebu city!

NOTE: This site got hacked last month and boo that my back-up didn’t include the latest 4 posts (lesson learned: back-up everyday!).  I’m resurrecting this second of four posts (original publish date: January 2010) from loose emails and saved drafts.

Check out this Eco house made by Cebu City Councilor Nestor Archival (cost him around Php7M!).  Dubbed “the house close to nature”, it occupies 400sqm (in a 7,000 sqm property), is self-sustaining, and uses lots of recycled materials.  It has facilities for vermicomposting (30 wormbeds!) and wastewater treatment, and a pig farm with a biodigester (which harvests gas that can be used for cooking).

The artist community I want to build in Tagaytay will be something like this, but with a bigger open space in the middle that’s open to the public, and (hopefully) a lively, creative mix of residents surrounding it..

In any case, I’m glad to see the green-home concept is being implemented already, and by government people at that!

UPDATE: Councilor Archival was recognized just this month (March 2010) as one of the country’s top 10 councilors, and yes, for his environmental efforts!

Colleagues pick Archival among RP’s 10 outstanding councilors

Out of 10 national awardees, Archival is the only one from the Visayas. Archival attributed his win to his advocacy on mixing environmental awareness with livelihood.

He said Cebu City’s “Kwarta sa Basura” program not only promoted clean surroundings through garbage segregation, but also provided livelihood.

Another program Archival initiated was the Metro Cebu Air Shed Board (MCASB), the first of its kind in the country.

The MCASB is composed of local chief executives in Metro Cebu who agreed to take part in efforts to improve the quality of air in their communities.

Archival proposed the creation of MCASB last year. It is supposed to help the Department of Environment and Natural Resources check air quality, set emission standards, determine penalties for violators in a particular air shed, as well as draw up anti-pollution programs suited for a given area.

Archival is also responsible for the formation of the Cebu Environmental Sanitation and Enforcement Team (Ceset), which allows the strict implementation of environmental laws, such as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Law.

As of yesterday, about 20,000 violators have been formally charged through the help of the local police, and about P2 million have been collected as violation fees.

Aside from Archival, other winners of this year’s PCL 10 Outstanding Councilors of the Philippines were Edwin Piano of Olongapo City, Abigael Sable of Santiago City, Ellen Reyes of San Pablo City, Raul Rivera of Cabancalan City, Gedo Jarbin Jr. of Legazpi City, Roman Melliza of General Santos City, Lourdes Tabanda of Baguio City, Aurelio Paolo Bartolome of Taguig City and Maria Belen Acosta of Davao City.

(Source: Sunstar Cebu)

Hurrah! Spread the green please!