Bottles, cans exchanged for load at GenSan Tuna Festival

Residents of General Santos City found use for their empty plastic bottles and drink cans as they were able to exchange them for cellphone load in this year's celebration of Tuna Festival.

In a push for environmental and education awareness, Smart Communications advised its customers to dispose of recyclables at #PlanetSmart collection bins set up at the Oval Plaza and Plaza Heneral Santos throughout the festival.

The bins had a "reverse vendo machine" where users can dispose of their plastic bottles and used drink cans in exchange for free Smart load.

The trash collected from the Smart bins were then to be turned over to the local waste management office for recycling.

The tuna festival is celebrated every year during the anniversary of the charter inauguration of General Santos City, also known as the Tuna Capital of the Philippines.

In its press release, the Smart said it teamed up with the GenSan local government for the  activity as part of their campaign to promote environmental conservation.

“This is also in line with this year’s Tuna Fest campaign message of protecting our oceans through sustainable development and responsible use of our oceans,” Smart public affairs senior manager Nova Concepcion said. —Margaret Claire Layug/LDF, GMA News