PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan — An environmental management specialist here on Tuesday called for sanctions against local government units (LGUs) still refusing to comply with “segregation at source and segregated collection” under the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2001.
“Dapat talaga ay may segregation at source at ang local government naman may segregated collection (There should really be segregation at source and local governments should have segregated collection),” because waste volumes will increase as development continues in cities like Puerto Princesa, said Zosima Jampit of the Provincial Environmental Management Office, a line agency of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau.
LGUs that are non-compliant can be sanctioned by the Office of the Environmental Ombudsman, which has already caused the investigation in 2016 by some 50 local governments, including Barangay Rio Tuba, Bataraza and Rizal town in Palawan, she said.
“Lagyan natin ng ngipin ang batas at mga ordinansa. Dapat kung no segregation, ay no collection (Let’s put teeth on our laws and ordinances. If there is no segregation, there should be no collection),” said Jampit.
If the law or ordinances impose fines and penalties, let them be enforced, so that residents would be compelled to do their share with regards to the implementation of the law, she added.
Based on what she has observed in most towns in Palawan and in Puerto Princesa, segregation at source is not properly practiced by the people.
There remains a need to further intensify the information and education campaign regarding the law, and the engagement of the barangays for strict compliance, she said in an interview.
Under the Act, the barangays would take care of the biodegradable and compostable waste from other solid waste reduces in their areas, while the recyclable and reusable resources, like bottles, cardboard, tin cans, plastic containers, Polyethylene Terephthalate bottles and the like would go to the Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs), she said.
“What should go to the landfills are residuals, no more segregation in landfills,” Jampit said.
She said that some MRFs were only made up of small portable bins rather than suitable areas that could receive, separate, and prepare segregated or recyclable materials.
She warned that if the LGUs would not work with the barangays, there would be no successful implementation of the program.
Ideally, barangays should have bigger MRFs and composting areas that can accommodate the volume of recyclable and biodegradable wastes that are being generated.
Jampit said that in Section 52 of RA 9003, ordinary people may file “citizen suits” against LGU officials for failing to implement the law. (PNA)
