Executive Director Feri G. Lumampao is elected member of the WSSCC
APPROTECH ASIA Executive Director Feri G. Lumampao is elected member of the WSSCC (Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council) Steering Committee. The Committee will meet in Istanbul, Turkey on March 23-24, 2009 during the 5th World Water Forum. WSSCC is based in Geneva and funded by the WHO (World Health Organization). Ms. Lumampao is also a member of the Philippines WASH Coalition Networking and Knowledge Management Committee.
International Conference on Beyond Firewood: Exploring Alternative Fuels and Technologies in Humanitarian Settings
Approtech Asia Programme Coordinator Ms. Bernadett C. Parado presented a paper entitled "Case Study of the Use of Improved Cookstoves by Ambulant Food Vendors in the Philippines" among 43 other presentors during the International Conference on Beyond Firewood: Exploring Alternative Fuels and Technologies in Humanitarian Settings on December 11-12, 2008 at New Delhi, India.
The Conference was hosted by the Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children with technical support from the USAID and the American Jewish World Service. The conference brought together more than 100 participants from 15 countries who advocate for the provision of alternative fuels and cooking energy technologies in humanitarian settings where most women and children face with variety of harmful consequences including but not limited to rape and assault during firewood collection, environmental degradation, and respiratory and other illnesses caused by indoor burning of biomass materials.
APPROTECH ASIA's Biofuel Commercialization
APPROTECH ASIA's biofuel commercialization which is part of the renewable energy technology packages for poverty reduction and climate change mitigation gains support from government and CSOs, such as, the Energy Research Development Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Local Government Unit of the Municipality of Tupi, South Cotabato, Peace and Equity Foundation, Technological Institute of the Philippines, Federation of People's Sustainable Development Cooperative, among others. The charcoal briquette and liquid smoke will be produced from pineapple and other agricultural wastes, water hyacinth, among others, and will be utilized for cooking energy, pesticide, soil enhancer, among others.
Rural Enterprise for Pineapple and other Agricultural Indigenous Residues (REPAIR) Model for Biofuel"
The "Rural Enterprise for Pineapple and other Agricultural Indigenous Residues (REPAIR) Model for Biofuel" in Tupi, South Cotabato won the World Bank Philippine Development Innovative Marketplace 2008. The project aims to commercialize charcoal briquette for clean, energy-efficient charcoal cookstove - the Mabaga kalan. It includes the transfer of technology on briquette-making, capability-building activities, establishment of the local enterprise, commercialization, awareness-raising, policy advocacy, among others.
Kitchen Improvement for Improved Indoor Air Quality
APPROTECH Asia's project under the poverty reduction and climate change mitigation program focused on Kitchen Improvement for improved indoor air quality (IAQ) and better health among food micro-entrepreneurs (FMEs) has improved the plight of the urban poor women and men in the metro cities of Lapu-lapu, Cebu, Manila and Quezon City. The improved kitchen, both for individual FMEs or a central or common kitchen for more than 5 FMEs, includes facilities for clean and efficient cooking energy, clean water, sanitation, ventilation, lighting, and follows the principles of ergonomics. Approtech Asia has measuring device for carbon emission and particulate matters for those using biomass fuels for cooking. The technical experts were trained by USEPA PCIA in the use of the measuring device. The kitchen improvement project receives technical support from Asian Institute of Technology SEA-UEMA project, Asia Regional Cookstove Program (ARECOP), GERES, among others. Our partnership with the FMEs, City Health Office, micro-finance institutions, such as, Alay Buhay Community Development Foundation, University of the Philippines Institute for Small Scale Industries, Technological Institute of the Philippines, among others.
Hawak ninyo ang inyong kalusugan or Your health is in your hands
The food prepared in the hygienic and ergonomically-designed central or common kitchen are promoted and commercialized by the entrepreneurial poor who underwent training on food hygiene and sanitation, meal planning and food processing, food micro-business management, packaging and labeling, among others. The palm meal boxes (Hawak ninyo ang inyong kalusugan or Your health is in your hands) will be launched on February 23, 2009. The project receives technical support from World Bank Development Marketplace 2007. The success of the project is achieved in partnership with the City Health Office, Local Government Units, religious organizations, universities, among others.
Kitchen Improvement Project
APPROTECH ASIA's Kitchen Improvement Project, with technical assistance from the University of the Philippines Institute for Small Scale Industries and the Department of Trade and Industry, published a comics entitled, Gabay sa Pagsisimula, Pamamalakad at Pagpapalago ng Negosyong Pagkain, along with the flyer on Mga Gabay sa Pamamalakad ng Negosyong Pagkain. The comics and flyers were distributed among urban poor communities through the City Health Office, micro-finance institutions, Department of Social Welfare and Development, schools and grassroot organizations, among others.
Related to the Kitchen Improvement Project, APPROTECH ASIA's project focused on clean water and sanitation received technical assistance from The Gender and Water Alliance (GWA), based in The Netherlands, in the printing of 3,000 copies of the poster on Kailan at Paano Dapat Maghugas ng Kamay ang Mga Babae at Lalaki (Proper Handwashing) which were distributed to the Food Micro-entrepreneurs and food service centers through the City Health Offices in the country.
Improved Cookstove Program in the Philippines
APPROTECH ASIA's improved cookstove program in the Philippines works in partnership with GERES, an international French NGO based in Cambodia, in the development of the biomass-based industry. A baseline study has been completed in Manila and Cebu province to determine the percentage of households using mixed fuel. Results of the study are being finalized for printing. Cebu province was selected as the target area for the baseline study because of the success in the commercialization of Mabaga Kalan which has reached majority of the food vendors covering four (4) cities in Metro Cebu. This is the impact of Approtech Asia's project entitled, Ambulant Food Vendors: Energy-Efficient Stoves and Hygienic, Healthy Lifestyles - A Pilot Project of the Entrepreneurial Poor in the Philippines and the partnership with the ambulant food vendors and the Cebu City Commission on Women and Family Affairs which promoted the use of Mabaga kalan to the Ambulant Food Vendors and highlighted the savings on fuel, time and cooking energy expenses as well economic, social and environmental benefits in the Cities of Lapu-Lapu and Cebu from February to March 2006. At present, most of the food vendors in the Cities of Cebu, Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue and Talisay are using Mabaga Kalan.
Charcoal Briquetting Technology
Approtech Asia in partnership with the Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau and the Technological Institute of the Philippines presented and demonstrated charcoal briquetting technology using agricultural wastes and abandoned biomass with Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Jose L. Atienza, Jr. and some community women leaders last February 3, 2009 at DENR head office. The presentation and demonstration was organized to forge partnership with DENR for the transfer of technology and for commercialization of charcoal briquette from agricultural wastes as an alternative fuel for cooking and to reduce solid wastes both in urban and rural areas.