EMB lauds Baguio for solid waste management practices

THE CORDILLERA office of the Environmental Management Bureau commended Baguio City for its sustained efforts in implementing the pertinent provisions of Republic Act (RA) 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, specifically the immediate action on the reported violations on the prohibited acts.

In his letter to the local chief executive, EMB-CAR regional director Reynaldo Digamo noted that on September 5-29, 2017, the agency’s solid waste enforcers and educators team revalidated violations of Section 48 of RA 9003, particularly littering, throwing, dumping of waste matters in public places and establishments causing or permitting the same, which were first documented in the different sites in the city from May to September last year that was immediately reported to the barangays concerned for appropriate action and which were immediately resolved through the intervention of the mayor.

“We are happy to highly commend you for your efforts at resolving violations of the solid waste management law. Please extend also our congratulations and commendations to the different barangay officials of Guisad Central, Teodora Alonzo, Palma-Urbano, PInsao Proper, Salud Mitra, Cabinet Hill-Teachers Camp, Rizal Monument, Gov. Pack, Mines View and Gibraltar for their compliance and we exhort them to keep up the good work for more robust implementation of RA 9003 within their respective jurisdictions,” Digamo stressed.

The EMB-CAR official underscored as the local government’s partner in the implementation of RA 9003, he acknowledged and looks forward for the city’s continued cooperation in the protection of the environment.

According to Digamo, the agency will always ready to extend the appropriate assistance to the city, provided that, concerned city and barangay officials will communicate to them their needs for appropriate action by the concerned offices to ensure the sustainable implementation of programs and projects geared towards the protection of the city’s environment.

Digamo expressed optimism the local government will find a permanent solution to

the city’s garbage disposal problem through the establishment of the proposed integrated solid waste disposal facility.

He agreed to the contention of Mayor Domogan that the best remedy to the city’s solid waste disposal problem is for the hauling of its residual waste to a sanitary landfill in the lowlands while waiting for the establishment of the proposed integrated solid waste disposal facility.

The city is generating more than 402 tons of mixed waste daily, excluding the garbage generated by the Baguio Country Club, Camp John Hay special economic zone, the Philippine Economic Zone Authority and SM City Baguio. Dexter See