Around 3,500 environmental offenders fined

CEBU, Philippines — In a span of four months, 3,454 people in Cebu City were apprehended for littering, for smoking in public places, and for violating other environmental laws and ordinances.

This resulted in the collection of  P423,500 in fines from January to April this year.

“People nowadays lack discipline. They throw their garbage anywhere,” said Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources (CENRO) Head Ma. Nida Cabrera.

She said the city is strictly implementing the environmental laws with the help of the barangay environmental officers and the Cebu City Environmental and Sanitation Enforcement Team (Ceset).

These are City Ordinance No. 2243 or The Sustainable Development Ordinance of the City of Cebu, City Ordinance No. 2343 or The Plastic Ban on Wednesday and Saturday, City Ordinance No. 2398 or The Septage Management Ordinance, City Ordinance No. 2241 or The Comprehensive Anti-Smoking Ordinance, City Ordinance No. 2031 or The Garbage Segregation At-Source, and City Ordinance No. 1361 or The Ordinance Establishing a System of Garbage Collection.

Of the 3,454 apprehensions, 2,256 were found violating City Ordinance No. 1361.

At least 974 people were apprehended for smoking in public, 108 for not following the plastic ban on Wednesdays and Saturdays, 47 for violating septage management ordinance, and 41 for not segregating their garbage at source, among others.

Cabrera said her office has also filed cases against 2,748 apprehended people for their failure to pay the fine ranging from P500 to P2,000 or to render community service.

Last year, CENRO collected P2 million in environmental fines from erring citizens. — KBQ (FREEMAN)