Solid waste management act implementation: We are willing to work with local officials - DENR USec

CEBU, Philippines - Seventeen years after the law was passed, a key official of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources yesterday said they would put on hold filing charges against local officials for failing to implement a solid waste management policy and would instead collaborate with them.

DENR Undersecretary for National Solid Waste Management  Noel Felongco said working with the officials would be a more effective approach in terms of complying with the salient features of Republic Act 9003 (Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000).

Speaking during a gathering in Cebu of local officials from Cebu and Bohol, he lamented that only around 30 percent of the law has been enforced almost two decades after its enactment.

He believed that collaborating with local government units would go far in terms of achieving the target of fully implementing RA 9003.

He was in Mandaue City yesterday to grace the ceremonial turnover of mobile shredders to 11 Cebu and Bohol local government units.

The event, organized by the Environmental Management Bureau-7, was attended by the mayors of Poro town in Camotes Islands, Jagna town in Bohol, and Aloguinsan town in Cebu. The others were representatives or officers of the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Offices of Tagbilaran City and Talibon and Tubigon towns in Bohol; and Argao, Consolacion, Daanbantayan, Sogod, and Tuburan towns in Cebu.

“We want to supplement or help for the LGUs to implement proper solid waste management and improve their system in addressing disposal issues…. I hope this will magnify the LGUs capacity,” said EMB-7 Director William Cunado on why they distributed the shredders.

Felongco told the the officials that those given mobile shredders for their waste disposal facilities should support DENR’s effort to reduce garbage generation in their respective localities.

In his speech, he said he at first had reservations in taking the lead when offered the position, especially upon learning about the accomplishments, which he described as “dismal.”

“As we celebrate the 17th year of RA 9003, it is actually very sad. It is not a celebration of what we have done but rather on what we failed to do. Imagine, for 17 years, only more than 30 percent had been implemented. This means I will be having a big task at the department,” he said.

He was still optimistic, though, that he would achieve more during his term, which is co-terminus with that of President Rodrigo Duterte, who aims to bring genuine change in the country.

He, however, said fully implementing RA 9003 would not be possible without the help of local officials, emphasizing the crucial role they play.

He said that instead of implementing the penal provisions of the law now, he prefers working with and assisting the officials.

He said 50 local officials, three of whom from Cebu, are currently facing charges before the Ombudsman for violating RA 9003, and 100 more are expected to be filed with a similar complaint.

“We can help them and talk with each other on how to resolve the problem on disposal issues. We are bent on helping local government officials so that they can cope up with their deficiencies in the implementation,” Felongco said.

He said that rather than running after inept local officials, he said the agency would work together with them by providing technical assistance, resources, or equipment, for example.

“There is still hope to institute change in our community. Let us join hands and help each other,” he told the Cebu and Bohol officials. (FREEMAN)