By John Rey Saavedra | Philippine News Agency
Bohol province Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado on Thursday ordered his constituents to avoid open burning to prevent incidents of grassfires amid hot weather conditions.
Aumentado reiterated his order, signed on April 18, in response to the increasing number of grassfire incidents in the province, the latest of which was the wildfire that hit two mounds of the famous Chocolate Hills in the Carmen town side.
“The Bohol Provincial Environment Management Office has monitored rampant open burning of solid waste across the province, despite the clear prohibition under Republic Act 9003, known as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000,” the governor said in his order.
Aumentado said communities will be monitored closely, and those who violate the law will face appropriate sanctions.
He said adopting sustainable waste management practices to reduce waste generation is highly encouraged, like upcycling, recycling, and composting, as a safer alternative to open burning.
“This serves as a reminder to all Boholano residents and non-Boholano living in Bohol on the provisions of RA 9003, particularly Section 48 (3), which strictly prohibits open burning of solid waste, including farm waste, yard waste, and other waste materials,” he added.
The extreme weather conditions may have caused the grassfire that hit two mounds of Chocolate Hills in Barangay Buenos Aires, Carmen town on April 30.
The grassfire happened past 7 p.m. but the fire quickly spread since the grass that covered the hills was dry due to the dry spell.
