Strict compliance with waste segregation sought

CEBU, Philippines – Senator Loren Legarda yesterday asked the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to monitor the compliance of local government units with the solid waste management act and to implement the law against the violators.

Legarda is the author of Republic Act 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, that strongly requires proper segregation of the biodegradable and non-biodegradable garbage, including recyclable garbage before disposal.

But Legarda learned that there are still many local government units that are not complying with the provisions of the law that prompted her to ask the support of the government agencies to help monitor the strict implementation of the law.

“It is not the job of a senator to implement the law. Let the concerned government agencies to work on it,” said Legarda, when she appeared as guest of the 888 News Forum at the Waterfront Cebu Hotel and Casino yesterday.

In a separate interview, acting Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said he will call for a meeting with councilor Archival, the chairman of the committee on environment of the Cebu City Council to formulate some effective plans on how to seriously implement the law.

It was learned that the city’s garbage personnel are still collecting garbage from the streets or barangays even if these are not segregated, which is contrary to the provision that unsegregated garbage will not be collected from the source.

Only last month, the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) also confirmed that Cebu City government failed to comply with the provisions of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act in operating the Inayawan Sanitary landfill.

The records of the City Hall also show that its personnel have already apprehended close to 5,000 persons for indiscriminately throwing garbage or even sticks of cigarettes in public places.

Those who were apprehended were charged for violating the provisions as provided for under City Ordinance 1361, the anti-littering ordinance of the city that carries the penalty of P500 if those who will be apprehended will choose to amicably settle their case by directly paying their fines to the city treasurer’s office.

But if they wish to bring up the case to the court, they may face the penalty of a higher fines up to P2,500 and face up to a year in jail. – Rene U. Borromeo/BRP (THE FREEMAN)