Segregate your trash or else...

Garbage from households and commercial establishments must be segregated starting May 1 or it will not be collected.

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. finally put his foot down on the requirement to segregate as he vowed to fully implement Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.

"Starting May 1, establishments and households in Metro Manila will have to segregate solid wastes into biodegradable and non-biodegradable so the composting and recycling of solid wastes can be facilitated," Abalos said.

Inspite of the requirement to segregate waste at the source, the households have yet to comply.

Garbage contractors have also failed to fulfill their part in the implementation of the law which prohibits them from collecting unsegregated garbage from households.

RA 9003 prescribes penalties for violators of the law, particularly the requirement to segregate.

The heaviest of fines are imposed on the garbage collectors if they fail to implement the law.

Abalos pointed out that there is no reason why the households should find it hard to segregate as there are already several communities that have been doing this even before the passage of RA 9003.

The segregated garbage would be collected and processed at the community-based recycling centers of the local government units or at the Manggahan, Pasig and Las Piñas depots.

The end product of the processed garbage would be compost materials to be used as fertilizer.

Abalos noted that he has received the full support of all of the recycling groups in Metro Manila in the efforts of the MMDA.

A number of non-government organizations have also committed their support including the Recycling Movement of the Philippines, Linis Ganda Movement and the Green Charcoal Movement.

Meanwhile, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Simeon Datumanong said he witnessed the retrieval of "an entire refrigerator" from the silt of Metro Manila’s drainage systems as the department rushes to solve floods.

"Would you believe that I personally saw an entire refrigerator hauled out of these drainage systems?" Datumanong told reporters, still sounding dumbfounded by the surprise find of government workers. — Marvin Sy and Jose Aravilla