By Ercel Maandig/Philippine News Agency
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — The Bureau of Customs (BOC) in the Mindanao International Container Terminal (MICT) District port on Friday reported that the Ministry of Environment in South Korea is now willing to have the 50,000 tons of garbage dumped at Phivedec Industrial Estate premises in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental Province shipped back to their country.
However, the move requires an amount of PHP78 million, Customs Collector John Simon said, as it will be used to defray for the rentals of more dump trucks and backhoe, including the purchase of tonner bags that costs PHP5,000 each.
Part of the amount, he added, also include labor fees for the personnel who will do the work in transferring the shipment.
The said cost is solely for local hauling from the importer’s premises, which is the Verde Soko in Tagoloan, to the Korean vessel if it will arrive in the port.
Simon said in January this year, the Task Force Force Basura was discussing the possibility of requesting the South Korean government to intervene for the hauling of waste materials back to their country.
Until recently, the Korean government replied and committed to send a vessel to the Philippines for hauling the said wastes in Tagoloan.
As of this moment, the task force is waiting for the South Korean government to send some people to discuss about the arrangement and procedures conducive to both parties.
After the hauling, it’s the Korean government that would shoulder the cost from the Philippines back to South Korea.
“But it will still have a natural waiting period of delay for over a month since our country is having an election on May 13 and will wait until the new set of leaders will assumed their respective posts,” Simon said.
Last week, Misamis Oriental 2nd District Representative Juliette Uy asked about the status of the said garbage since most of the members in the local level are running for political positions and are busy campaigning in their respective areas.
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