Cimatu to Asean: Urbanization should not harm environment

MANILA, Philippines -  Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu has urged member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to collectively work together to make urbanization as environmentally sustainable as possible.?               

“ASEAN megacities such as Bangkok, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Bandar Seri Begawan and Manila and other highly urbanized cities in Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia should proactively work together to address the issue of urbanization,” Cimatu said, addressing participants of the  Research and Development Congress on Sustainable Urbanization in the Course of ASEAN Economic Integration, held Tuesday at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza in Pasay City.?

“Any of their innovative solutions should come out from partnerships with the government, academe, socio-civic organizations and private business groups, and we all know that this is a big challenge to all ASEAN member countries,” he said.             

Cimatu added that Southeast Asian megacities and other urbanizing areas play critical roles in the unfolding of the ASEAN economic community. He described as “crucial” the conference attended by delegates who are also R&D practitioners.

“This would create an avenue for exchange of information as well as for collaboration in exploring ways for developing mechanisms and safeguards to achieve sustainable urbanization in ASEAN economic community,” he said.?               

The four-day regional conference was organized by the Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Meanwhile, a group of environmentalists urged President Duterte and lawmakers to support the passage of the E-waste Management Bill or House Bill 5901 that will address the alarming increase of e-waste in the country.?               

The bill was recently filed by Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Emmi de Jesus.?               

Clemente Bautista, national coordinator of Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment (PNE), said a healthful environment is a public service that government should provide to its citizens.

“The state should ensure all measures are carried out to provide its citizens a sound environment free from any health hazards. The passage of HB 5901 will help address our country’s problem on e-waste, making waste management a public service while directing private manufacturers to take responsibility for their products from production to final disposal,” he said.?               

The group said that the bill follows the principle of “Extended Producer’s Responsibility” wherein private companies are responsible for their produce until it reaches end-of-life term. The EPR aims to decrease the environmental impact of electronic equipment and at the same time make full use of such products and related components.?               

“Our country has produced tons of e-waste annually aside from other tons of used electrical and electronic equipment or EEEs that have been dumped in our country. These have produced chemicals harmful to human health. Despite this, we have no comprehensive management of these wastes, poor communities and junk shop workers that manually deconstruct e-waste in dump sites have been the most vulnerable,” Bautista added.?               

The United Nations University global e-waste report said that in 2013, the Philippines generated 127,000 metric tons of e-waste per year or an estimated 1.3 kg per person. More than 100 million kilos of EEEs were imported to the country annually.?