We should ban single-use plastic

The best news for Cebu City was a plan by the executive department to submit to the council the proposed ordinance prohibiting the use of single-use plastic every day within the city. Now whether or not this would become an ordinance is another story. But yes, single-use plastic that many sellers use is so prevalent; the trash really ends up in the garbage cans and into the dump. Worse is when this trash is not thrown in the garbage bin and simply thrown into the streets, which is the reason why Cebu City is so dirty, despite the presence of so many tourists.

Prohibiting the use of single-use plastic is the first step of the present administration to be a plastic-free city in the future. The plastics are usually used for food stuff and clog our rivers and esteros, causing floods during hard rains. And worse, the trash ends up in the sea where sea creatures turn out eating what’s inside the plastic bags.  So let’s keep a healthy environment and approve this ordinance already.

Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CCENRO)  head Nida Cabrera said her offices, along with the Solid Waste Management Board (SWMB), will hold a consultation among business owners, vendors, and residents on October 26. “The recommendation of the body is to come up with one public consultation to hear the side of business establishments and others.” While I agree to the need for a consultation, I think business owners do not care to help the environment, so in the end, CCENRO should only take note on the report of the business groups and go on with their proposed plan to ban plastics in Cebu City.

Supposedly under this proposed ordinance, all residents, business firms, public and private offices are prohibited from using identified single-use plastic such as thin-film plastic bags, sando bags, drinking straws, stirrers, cups, plates, spoons, forks, as well as styrofoam, as food packaging material. Just to inform you that a couple of months ago, Cebu Pacific Air also had a similar plan to stop the use of plastic inside their airplanes, which had a very positive reaction from its passengers. So Cebu City should not wait and push this ordinance and make it a law.

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I read in the news that Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III and Vice Governor Agnes Magpale will reportedly switch positions in the 2019 elections. If you ask me, this is the best proof to Cebuanos that Davide is a non-performer; otherwise, he would never agree to trade places with the more visible and active Magpale. Supposedly, this decision was made after a meeting between the officials of Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC)-Barug Alang sa Kauswagan ug Demokrasya (BAKUD) Party and the Liberal Party. Come now, what has the Liberal Party done for Cebuanos? In the six years of the PNoy presidency, we really had nothing to show. But in those years, illegal drugs in Cebu have gotten from bad to worse.

Meanwhile, Sixth District Representative Jonas Cortes is seeking to run against as Mayor Luigi Quisumbing as mayor of Mandaue City. The party of Jonas is the Kaabag Alyansa sa Nagkahiusa ug Aktibong Katawhan (ANAK) sa Mandaue and they just filed their certificates of candidacy (COCs) before the Commission on Elections (Comelec). Rep. Cortes was joined by Provincial Board Member Glenn Bercede and incumbent City Councilors Carmelino “Jun” Del Mar, Cynthia Cinco-Remedio, and Malcom Sanchez. I gathered that the old Mandaue political families are united in this effort for Jonas to regain the political Mandaue of Jun Cortes. Let’s see if this would work in their favor.

Meanwhile, at least three independent candidates have filed their COCs at the Comelec in Lapu-Lapu City. They are Genaro Baring Tampus, Pablo Quiñones Doronio Jr., and Virgilio Cano, who are running for congressman, councilor, and mayor, respectively.

For a Senate seat, we have former DILG secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas who wants a comeback. Now is a good time as any for Mar Roxas to explain to the Filipino people why he purchased Mahindra jeeps for the Philippine National Police (PNP), which are more expensive than the Toyota Fortuner and the police are now complaining that these vehicles are breaking down so fast. Explain this to us, Mar Roxas.

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