BUENAVISTA JUNKSHOP OPERATORS

Vicente Nilles owns the Remie Junkshop in barangay Old Poblacion, Buenavista. He is currently the president of the Buenavista Recyclers Association which has 8 members. At the front yard of his house, Workers are sorting heaps of “junk” into piles of metal, scrap iron, old car batteries, barbed wires, electric wires, damaged parts of electric appliances, plastic household wares, liquor, soft drink and beer bottles. Inting is in the business for 3 years. At first junk buying was for him an alternative livelihood. In the last 2 years, it has become the family’s major source of income. Five (5) runners from barangays Navalas, Gitolio, Bakhaw, Banban, Cansilayan, and San Nicolas work for Inting, buying scraps from the villages and turning them over to the Remie’s Junkshop for a little profit. The runners use a “trisikad” a bicycle with 3 wheels mounted with a cargo compartment made of metal slats.

Inting brings his products to the Maravilla Junkshop or the Southern Trading in Iloilo City. Every week he transports about 100 sacks of recyclable materials to Iloilo in a motorized banca for P600.00 each trip. His gross earning is between  P5, 000.00 to P6, 000.00 every week.

Inting Nilles believes that with his junk shop he has contributed something to his community. He points out that with the Local Government Unit’s information and education campaigns more and more people bring their recyclable materials to his shop. He emphasizes that the surroundings have become cleaner and that there are less wastes on the street sides and in the market places. It is important for him that junk shop operators in their town are organized and they could then register as a cooperative. With an association, there is more cooperation among buyers like him; and, as a recognized entity the group would be able to access support to improve their social and economic situation. The junk buyers in Buenavista are no longer operating in the margins.