Azer Parrocha/Philippine News Agency
MANILA — After the tons of garbage, which were illegally dumped in the Philippines in 2013, was shipped back to Canada over the weekend, Malacañang said it expects ties between the two countries to turn from being “trashy” to “cordial”.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo made this remark following reports that the ship containing 69 containers of garbage had finally reached a port in Vancouver on Saturday (June 29).
“Siguro cordial na ulit (Perhaps, it’s cordial again),” Panelo said in a radio interview on Sunday when asked about ties between the two countries after the arrival of the ship in Canadian shores.
“‘Di na basura ang relasyon (The relationship is no longer garbage),” he added.
Panelo said that with the trash row resolved, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) could now send back their ambassador and consuls to the North American country.
Reports showed that the Canadian garbage-hailing ship Anna Maersk arrived at Vancouver’s Deltaport on early Saturday morning after rotting in the Philippines for almost six years.
The waste, which was falsely labeled as recyclable plastics, is expected to be disposed of at an incineration facility in Vancouver.
Canadian authorities said they are looking for ways to hold responsible parties accountable.
President Rodrigo R. Duterte earlier gave the Canadian government until May 15 to take back the trash, including used diapers, dumped by a private Canadian courier in the Philippines between 2013 to 2014.
However, upon Canada’s failure to meet the deadline to retrieve the trash, Duterte threatened to send the garbage back to the North American country himself.
