EDITORIAL - Why many still disregard environmental laws

The problem regarding the huge volume of trash left unattended during the Holy Week activities in Bantayan Island has again become the center of debate, especially on social media, among Cebuanos divided by the absence of a clear implementation of waste disposal laws and ordinances.

The FREEMAN posted photos online of large amounts of garbage left behind in the beaches of Sante Fe town. The almost four truckloads of trash were left for several days by beachgoers who trooped to the island for the holiday break.

As usual, the post drew outrage from many netizens who strongly criticized those beachgoers for not practicing proper waste disposal. They also demanded sanctions on those violating environmental laws.

However, there are those who questioned the motive of The FREEMAN in posting the photos online. These bashers berated the media for taking advantage of the unattended garbage just to sow intrigues instead of helping the authorities dispose of the trash.

Of course, in the first place, street sweeping is not part of the duty of journalists, whose prime mission in a democratic society is to inform the public of the events happening around, being members of the Fourth Estate.

In posting those photos online, The FREEMAN was just exercising its usual role as a press entity because it happened to be in the area and was able to witness how vacationers were not able to properly dispose of their trash.

The point this paper would like to relay is the strong message that those photos are sending to the public and authorities; that there are those who continue to disregard environmental laws and that there is really a need for immediate action.

We have enough laws and ordinances on environmental protection. The only problem is the lack of strict implementation by the local and national government, the reason why the problem of improper garbage disposal persists.