The mayor's decision to purchase 40 compactor trucks and two dump trucks from the funds of the city government has certainly accounted for the speed and efficiency with which garbage is collected in the city. With this, Las Piñas avoided the problems and pitfalls encountered by other local government units (LGUs) who depend on private contractors for their garbage collection needs.

Because of this bold move, the city of Las Piñas has achieved its zero-waste management goal and now boasts of having the best garbage disposal problem in Metro Manila. To ensure the continued operation of the project, the Environment and Sanitation Council has assigned and dispatched the compactor trucks to collect garbage in all the barangays and villages. The collection is done in two shifts: morning and afternoon. The average daily garbage collection reaches about 700 cu. meters.

Substantial savings have been generated by the city government as a result of its decision to take over the garbage operations from private contractors. For the first three years of the project, a total of P140 million in savings have been realized which have then been used to finance other developmental projects in the city such as road building, the provision of additional classrooms, school buildings, modern health clinics, day care centers and nutrition centers, to name but a few.

The city government in cooperation with the MB Villar Foundation of Speaker Manny Villar, has maintained the 70 tree parks-cum-playground in almost all the barangays of the city. Trees and ornamental plants were planted and nourished and the tree parks were landscaped to provide a beautiful environment for the residents and children. Plant nurseries were maintained and reinforced for the tree-planting and greening program.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) donated tree saplings to the city's tree planting program. An Orchidarium was set up in 1995 and is being maintained and expanded by the city government with the help of the local branch of the Department of Agriculture.

The continued success and sustainability of the Las Piñas Clean and Green could be attributed in part to the help and cooperation extended by the different concerned sectors in the city.

Community involvement. Each and every residents are instilled the virtues of neatness and cleanliness and know the responsibility they have in keeping their surroundings clean. Within communities, regular cleanliness and beautification drives are being conducted in cooperation with the barangay council officers and the different community-based organizations. Groups such as the Rotary Club, homeowner’s associations, the Igelesia ni Kristo and other religious groups have registered their support and are very visible in the campaign.

The city government and the Clean and Green Council have likewise launched a quarterly beautification contest involving the different depressed areas in the city.

Events such as these will continue to be a challenge to the residents and provides an opportunity for them to unite and work towards the common goal of improving the state of the place they live in.

Business and socio-civic sectors involvement. The support of the business community to the program has been very overwhelming, and their move to adopt-a- barangay in the clean-up project has been a great success. Big businesses like SM Southmall. Ayala Land, Fil Estate and Sta. Lucia Realty have donated plastic garbage bags for distribution and use of the residents in the different barangays. Establishments, such as the popular fast-food joints have also agreed to be a venue for the information campaign of the Clean and Green Council. In these places, slogans and messages on how to keep the support has also been lent by socio-civic organizations and they have always coordinated with the city government when it comes to enhancing and fostering the goals of the Clear and Green Program.

Participation of students and the youth. To maximize the contribution of public school students in the campaign, the city government, through the Clean and Green Council has organized a youth environmental group called “ Samahan ng mga Kabataan Para sa Kalinisan ng Bayan” or SAMAKANABA.

All public schools, both in the elementary and high school levels, are now enlisting greater support from the students by conducting various clean-up activities in their schools and in surrounding areas every weekend as part of their community involvement classes. Cleanliness and beautification contest were also launched last year in cooperation with Linis Ganda.

Awareness in protecting the environment is also included in the students’ subjects to make them more aware of their crucial role in the campaign. Various activities to improve their consciousness and participation are being conducted in the form of seminaries, essay writing and painting contests, etc.

Private schools are also being enjoined to get involved in the campaign through a program of information, education, coordination and the conduct of actual projects like tree-planting, cleanliness and beautification drives, both on and off-campus.

In the tertiary level, students of the government-run Dr. Felimon C. Aguilar Memorial College have been organized and mobilized to undertake various campaigns in line with Clean and Green Council’s programs and projects. The Pag-Asa Youth Association (PYA), an out-school youth and community-based youth organization, has been actively participating in the Clean and Green Program.

Under the supervision of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, YPA organizes and conducts various activities in the communities, especially the depressed ones.