By Azer Parrocha/Philippine News Agency
MANILA — Malacañang on Tuesday said the Canadian government has committed to shoulder all the expenses of shipping out all 69 containers of trash dumped in the Philippines back in 2013.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) made the assurance during Monday night’s Cabinet meeting in Malacañang.
Late last month, President Rodrigo Duterte gave Canada an ultimatum to take back its trash, warning that he would dump the trash back on their beaches if they would not comply.
“The President is firm that we are not garbage collectors, thus he ordered that the Philippines will no longer accept any waste from any country,” Panelo said in a statement.
In a Palace briefing, Panelo said the President has also ordered the Bureau of Customs (BOC) not to accept foreign waste.
Panelo said the Chief Executive is giving Canada until May 15 to retrieve its garbage.
“The President gave May 15 as a deadline. If they cannot get that, then we will be shipping them out and throw them into the shores or beach of Canada,” Panelo said.
Earlier, Panelo warned that Canada’s disposal of its garbage to an ally is “dangerously disruptive “of Philippine-Canadian ties.
He, however, assured this did not mean that there would be cutting of ties between the two countries.
The Canadian Embassy has promised to “resolve the issue, including taking the waste back to Canada.”
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