DENR: Less Metro Manila trash during New Year revelry

MANILA, Philippines — The government’s campaign to reduce solid waste in Metro Manila is off to a good start as less garbage was generated in the metropolis during the New Year festivities.

In a press conference yesterday, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Undersecretary Benny Antiporda said that based on their estimates, the volume of garbage hauled from Manila’s Rizal Park hours after the New Year’s Eve celebration was less than the 50 metric tons (MT) collected during the Christmas revelry.

Antiporda said this was a significant improvement from the previous years when the trash collected reached over 100 MT. 

In 2014, the Environmental Management Bureau of the DENR hauled 26 truckloads or equivalent to 156 MT of garbage in Manila hours after the New Year revelry.

“There is an improvement this year as compared to last year because of the government’s information campaign,” Antiporda said. “We consider this a slight success. Before the end of the President’s term, we hope for the public to be more responsible with their garbage disposal.”

He said DENR personnel also observed fewer garbage piles in Metro Manila streets and other areas, including Divisoria and Quiapo.

Antiporda said local government units (LGUs) must be stricter with their waste segregation policies amid the DENR’s earlier pronouncement of a garbage crisis.

Stiffer penalties must be imposed by the LGUs for non-segregation of solid waste, he said.

“We are encouraging LGUs to impose the P1,000 fine for non-segregation of solid waste. Those who cannot pay must render community service,” Antiporda said.

He said the fines to be imposed should be on top of the penalties provided under Republic Act 9003 or the Solid Waste Management Act.

The law imposes fines of P1,000 for non-segregation of waste and from P300 to P1,000 for littering. 

“Amending the law to impose stiffer penalties will be a long course. In the meantime, LGUs can pass city or municipal ordinances to strengthen RA 9003,” Antiporda said.

With proper segregation, he said the DENR sees a 30-percent reduction in the volume of garbage brought to sanitary landfills.

Antiporda said the DENR would spend around P1 billion for solid waste management this year.

Last December, Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu declared a garbage crisis in the country.

Cimatu noted that in the second quarter of 2019, Metro Manila, with a population of 12.8 million, had surpassed its estimated waste generation baseline for the year of 58,112.31 cubic meters.

As to air pollution during the New Year revelry, the DENR monitored the air quality from 11 p.m. on Dec. 31 to 2 a.m. on Jan. 1 to be “highly polluted” and “very unhealthy,” especially in North Caloocan, Mandaluyong and Taguig.

Meanwhile, the local government of Makati has collected over 230,000 kilos of garbage from the city’s waterways in compliance with the government’s efforts to rehabilitate the Manila Bay.

Personnel from the Departments of Environmental Services, Engineering and Public Works as well as barangay officials cleared creeks, canals and drains in the city.

A total of 54,745 tons of solid waste were collected after declogging drainage, according to the city government.  – With Ghio Ong