The Department of Environment & Natural Resources here disclosed that only about 10 percent of the 557 barangays in Negros Oriental have functional material recovery facility that is designed to receive and process recyclable materials for proper waste disposal.
Engr. Marc Andrew Silveron of the Environment Management Bureau of DENR-7 revealed this in a briefing-conference with members of the Association of Negros Oriental Public Information Officers.
Most of these barangays can be found in Bayawan City that has become a model of sanitary landfill operations in the province.
The role of local government units particularly the barangays, according to Silveron, is critical for having a functional and sustainable solid waste management program as mandated under Republic Act 9003, otherwise known as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.
“LGUs are responsible for the implementation and enforcement of our solid waste management laws,” Silveron said.
“The success and efficient operation of our sanitary landfill facility operations depend on the seriousness of the barangays to strictly implement the segregation and collection process from the source,” he added.
He cited Bayawan, Canlaon, and Bais cities that have prioritized proper waste management disposal by establishing sanitary landfills.
“We have corrected previous mistakes in our garbage collections. We now strictly require households to properly segregate their waste, otherwise it will not be collected,” Andy Guevarra, Bais City information officer, said.
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LGUs are mandated to establish a sanitary landfill as a means of safe solid waste disposal by law as open dumpsite is declared illegal under RA 9003.
The DENR official urged the LGUs to get the participation of the residents for the implementation of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act to be successful in the implementation of the waste segregation regulation.
He said the LGUs should also implement penalties for violators.
However, it takes political will to implement any form of penalties.
LGUs are also encouraged to crop up with policy or ordinance with penalties on top of the P1,000 under RA 9003 so that citizens will take the garbage issue seriously.
The act sets out guidelines for solid waste management and penalizes litterers and garbage dumpers with fines of between P300 to P1,000.
An alternative penalty is community service of between one to 15 days. (jct/PIA7 NegOr)