DENR: Current laws not enough for solid waste disposal discipline

The current laws on solid waste management are not enough to instill discipline in households and garbage collectors.

Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau director Peter Anthony Abaya said that Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act is a positive step towards solving the problem of garbage.

However, he noted that its implementation in its present state is not enough to guarantee immediate compliance by all of the parties concerned.

Abaya said this in reaction to the decision of Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Benjamin Abalos, Sr. to enforce the mandatory segregation of garbage starting June 15.

Using R.A.9003 as its basis, the MMDA will start imposing fines and penalties on households and establishments that do not comply with the directive to segregate.

A set of fines has been defined under R.A. 9003 as well as penalties including imprisonment and other administrative sanctions.

Abaya pointed out that the penalties prescribed under R.A. 9003 in its present state are too "long-term" to ensure its compliance.

"Puro penal ang mga ito, meaning they have to be settled in court, which as we all know takes too long. We need something immediate," Abaya said.

He noted that he would push for the inclusion of stiffer penalties in the implementing rules and regulations of R.A. 9003, the formulation of which he is in charge of. Abaya said he is looking at stiff penalties that could be imposed as soon as the violation is committed.

On the part of the MMDA, Abalos announced that he would deputize additional barangay personnel as environmental policemen in order to strengthen the enforcement of the mandatory segregation and anti-littering law (MMDA Regulation 96-009).

"The MMDA is ready to deputize frontline barangay personnel who will enforce the anti-littering ordinance which will help in our drive to require households and establishments to start segregating their solid wastes," Abalos said. — Marvin Sy