Canada hires company to take back trash from Philippines by end of June
MANILA, Philippines — Canada has beaten the Philippines in looking for a shipping firm that would take back the remaining 69 containers of garbage from the Southeast Asian country.
On Wednesday, Malacañang announced that President Rodrigo Duterte has directed the appropriate government agency to look for a private shipping company to return the trash to the North American country.
Shortly after this announcement, the Canadian government announced that it has hired a company to repatriate the waste illegally shipped to the Philippines between 2013 and 2014.
"The Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Catherine McKenna, announced that the Government of Canada awarded a contract to Bolloré Logistics Canada to safely bring the waste back to Canada as soon as possible," Canada said in a statement.
McKenna pointed out that Canada has amended its regulations to prevent this incident from happening again.
According to the Canada, the private shipping firm will start the preparation in the coming days and will be completed by the end of June.
Canada's environment department stressed that the garbage must be safely treated to meet the country's safety and health requirements.
"The safe and environmentally sound disposal in Canada of the waste material will take place before the end of summer 2019," the Canadian government said.
The Canadian government also committed to shouldering the cost of the preparation, transfer, shipment and disposal of the waste.
"The Government of Canada maintains ongoing discussions with the Government of the Philippines to ensure a positive outcome to this issue in a timely fashion," the Canada said.
According to the news release, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. talked to Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland last week to discuss the repatriation of the waste to Canada.
"As I mentioned to their Foreign Secretary last week, we are committed to resolving this issue as quickly as possible. Today is an essential step forward in accomplishing that," Freeland said.
Last week, Locsin ordered the recall of Philippine ambassador and consuls to Canada after the North American country missed its deadline of taking back the waste.
Locsin said the Philippines will maintain a diminished diplomatic presence in Canada until the garbage row is resolved.
A private Canadian company shipped more than 100 containers of household waste to Manila in 2013 and 2014 and have since stayed. (Bureau of Customs photo)
Foreign Affairs Secretary Teddy Locsin Jr. tells pulled out envoys in Canada to return to their posts following the repatriation of the 69 containers of trash to the North American country.
"To our recalled posts, get your flights back. Thanks and sorry for the trouble you went through to drive home a point," Locsin says in a tweet.
One more tweet.
— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) May 31, 2019
To our recalled posts, get your flights back. Thanks and sorry for the trouble you went through to drive home a point.
Arrevederci!
And thank you
Canada CDA Mucci.
I always end with a rhyme.
The ship M/V Bavaria leaves the Philippines to return to Canada the 69 containers of toxic waste after six years.
The ship tasked to transport the garbage arrived at the Subic Bay Freeport at 2:40 p.m. Thursday.
Trash from Canada will be shipped back on Thursday, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra says in a statement to reporters.
Guevarra has been designated officer-in-charge in the absence of President Rodrigo Duterte, who is in Japan for an official visit.
"The cost of reshipment from Manila to Vancouver, estimated at P10 million, will be shouldered by the Canadian government. The container vans will be loaded on vessels owned by three shipping companies," he also says.
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