Philippines – waste management law to be implemented in Cebueon July 1

Starting July 1, the government of the city of Cebu will fully implement Republic Act 9003, otherwise known as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, and its parallel local ordinances.



According to a report in the Freeman, this is in compliance with the memorandum of agreement forged between the city government and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines-National Environmental Action Team last October for the enforcement of proper waste management.



After the sealing of the agreement, the city council then adopted City Ordinance No. 2031 that covers the "no segregation, no collection policy" as well as City Ordinance 1361 creating the solid waste management board.



As such, starting this July, those who fail to segregate their garbage will be penalized. There will be a dry run on its implementation from June 16 to 30.



There is already a Cebu Environmental Sanitation Enforcement Team organized in each barangay whose members are deputized by the mayor by virtue of C.O. 2031 after they have undergone training on the solid waste management law and who are now tasked to apprehend any person or head of a juridical entity that is caught violating any of its provisions.



As a form of compensation to the apprehending persons, the ordinance provides that 20 percent of the collected compromise fee shall go to them while the remaining 30 percent shall go to the barangay.



Further, C.O. 2031 specifically provides that one has to store his garbage in different receptacles classified as biodegradable that includes yard wastes, non-biodegradable, reusable or recyclable, hazardous or special, and bulky and white goods.



Guidelines from the city‘‘s Department of Public Services were already issued on how waste materials should be classified.



Those who fail to comply with the proper waste segregation policy shall be fined from P1,000 to P5,000 or by an imprisonment of not less than one month to not more than six months, or both at the discretion of the court.



Individuals who would rather opt for an out-of-court settlement shall be slapped with P500-compromise fee but this is only applicable to the first offense. A second violation shall no longer be qualified to pay for a compromise fee.



And if the violator cannot pay for the compromise fee, he/she must render community service ranging from one day to 15 days as determined by the monitoring or enforcement unit of the local solid waste management board.



And to facilitate the collection of compromise fees, the barangay treasurer shall be deputized by the city treasurer to collect such from the violators.



Under the ordinance, it shall be the task of the respective barangays to collect the reusable and biodegradable wastes while the city government shall only take charge of the non-biodegradable, bulky, special and other forms of waste enumerated in the national law.