Mandaue apprehends 152 PUVs without bins

CEBU, Philippines - Mandaue City is enforcing its cleanliness ordinance with a little more passion this time, apprehending in a week 152 public utility vehicles that do not have receptacles for trash onboard.

Violators included passenger jeepneys, mini-buses, and Ceres buses which ply the major thoroughfares of the city.

Last week, 32 passenger jeeps were apprehended by the joint team of the Environmental Enforcement Team and village watchmen of barangay Ibabao-Estancia.

Another 95 were also apprehended by the Environmental Enforcement Team and village watchmen of barangay Umapad along Plaridel Street, 23 of which were Ceres buses.

Last Wednesday, 24 public utility vehicles and a Ceres bus were also apprehended along the Basak National Highway.

The apprehensions were carried out after Mayor Jonas Cortes instructed Placido Jerusalem, chief of the Environmental Enforcement Team, to intensify the enforcement of City Ordinance No. 10-2006-372, which requires all public utility vehicles to have garbage receptacles in their vehicles in order to maintain the city's cleanliness.

Most commuters tend to toss their waste out of windows of vehicles if no receptacles are in place, thus, littering the streets.

An apprehended driver is issued a citation ticket which means he is obligated to pay the fine of P500 within 72 hours at the City Treasurer's Office.

Jerusalem said he will ask the city council that the number of garbage receptacles in a vehicle be increased to two, one for biodegradable and the other for non-biodegradable.

Jerusalem said the absence of garbage receptacles in public vehicles runs counter to the city's solid waste ordinance which calls for the segregation of solid waste. (FREEMAN)