Ecologically errant LGUs given 6 months to comply with law

ILOILO CITY – Six local governments units (LGUs) in Western Visayas have six months to comply with Republic Act. No. 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Law or risk being rapped with several cases for committing ecological violations.

Atty. Jonathan Bulos, Western Visayas regional director of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)’s Environmental Management Bureau in Western Visayas ( EMB- 6), told Manila Bulletin that the non-compliant LGUs can still implement corrective measures with regards the proper disposal of accumulated garbage.

To recall, the Office of the Ombudsman filed complaints on behalf of the National Solid Waste Management Commission ( NSWMC) against 50 local governments in the country last February 10.

The non-compliant local governments from Western Visayas are the towns of Ajuy, Sta. Barbara, Sara, Banate and Concepcion, all in Iloilo province, as well as the town of Nab as in Aklan.

Bulos said it was the DENRattached EMB-6 that submitted the list of non-compliant local governments to the NSWMC.

These six local governments must comply with the requirements of Republic Act No. 9003, to include the banning of open dumping sites while creating sanitary landfills; the creation of a materials recovery facilities ( MRFs) in villages; and having a 10-year Solid Waste Management Plan.

Bulos clarified that the six local governments currently facing Ombudsman complaints are not the only non-compliant local governments in the Western Visayas region.

“The Ecological Solid Waste Management Law states compliance of all requirements and failure to comply with one is already a violation,” Bulos pointed out.

However, he noted that the NSWMC only focused on local governments that have open-dump sites.

“These towns should not have any open-dump sites. If it is impossible for the creation of sanitary landfills, the local governments should at least create an eco-park,” urged Bulos.

He added that the NSWMC may release another list of LGUs that are violating the Ecological Solid Waste Management Law.

Meanwhile, the EMB-6 can extend technical assistance to the six local governments in coming up with their respective Priority Corrective Action Plans.