In Bukidnon, flies turn waste into organic compost, feeds
VALENCIA CITY, Bukidnon—With the help of science and technology, a restaurant chain that ventured into Bukidnon province about three years ago has discovered a way to make pesky flies useful, turning biodegradable waste into organic fertilizers and feeds.
After struggling for nearly three years with food waste disposal, Ricardo’s by Cucina Higala, a dining and tourism destination in highland Manolo Fortich town, found an eco-friendly solution by transforming kitchen waste into valuable resources using black soldier flies (BSF).
Ricardo’s by Cucina Higala in Barangay Mampayag, Manolo Fortich, is the second branch of Cucina Higala, which was originally located in neighboring Cagayan de Oro City.
Last month, Ricardo’s by Cucina Higala set off the black soldier flies (Hermetia illucens) as its biodegradable “waste eliminators” in a facility fully supported by the Manolo Fortich local government, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), and the Department of Tourism.
The Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (Menro) lauded the initiative amid local government efforts to curb the volume of kitchen waste collection in the locality.
Jewel Macahilos, a supervisor of Ricardo’s by Cucina Higala, said the restaurant had long been struggling with foul-smelling food waste because regular collection by the local government was limited.
Even burying the waste failed to solve the problem.
The breakthrough came after the restaurant adopted the Black Soldier Fly technology promoted by Dr. Roland James Bayang, popularly known as “Doc Brahman,” a veterinarian and agriculturist recognized for advancing ecological biowaste management.
Safe, noninvasive
The larvae consume organic food waste and convert it into useful products such as organic fertilizer and animal feed, significantly reducing waste and unpleasant odors.
Peter Damary, chief executive officer of FiveDOL Upcycling Corp., an eco-agricultural startup based in Davao City that also promotes black soldier flies to address kitchen waste problem, said that BSFs have long been around in the wild in the Philippines.
He noted that they do not pose risks to the local ecosystem, or worse, become invasive unlike other houseflies, and are not known to transmit any diseases.
The adult black soldier flies naturally die after two weeks and thrive only on decaying wastes, he explained.
Ricardo’s by Cucina Higala’s adoption of black soldier flies to curb its kitchen waste highlighted the growing role of science and innovation in addressing waste management while supporting sustainable agriculture and farm tourism, according to Dr. Mark Lemuel Garcia, DOST Northern Mindanao director.
Organizers said the initiative demonstrates how businesses can turn environmental challenges into opportunities for resource recovery and a circular economy.
For Ricardo’s by Cucina Higala, what was once a persistent waste problem has become a model for responsible environmental stewardship—showing that even a tiny insect can make a big difference, restaurant supervisor Macahilos said. —WITH A REPORT FROM BONG SARMIENTO
