By Catherine J. Teves
Linisin angLipunan rally (photo courtesy of Ecowaste Coalition Facebook page)
MANILA (PNA) – Environment groups are urging President Rodrigo Duterte to wage a war against waste nationwide to help protect public health and the environment.
The groups raised urgency for such presidential action, noting studies show the country’s problem on waste will worsen if authorities fail to fully implement RA 9003 (Ecological Solid Waste Management Act).
“This year, the country will already produce some 40,000 tons of waste daily – up from the estimated 37,000 tons of waste we produced daily in 2012,” EcoWaste Coalition national coordinator Aileen Lucero said Tuesday at a press conference held at Max’s Restaurant, Quezon Memorial Circle, Quezon City on Tuesday.
Much of the waste produced so far hasn’t been disposed properly, she noted.
Greenpeace detox campaigner Abigail Aguilar cited need to bolster the proposed war with prevention measures at source like industries’ pollution disclosure.
“Manufacturers must take responsibility for respective waste generated,” she said.
She also said government must be firm on returning to Canada the cargo of assorted waste shipped from that country to the Philippines earlier.
Such waste was discovered in Manila three years ago this September, she noted.
According to Froilan Grate, Asia-Pacific coordinator of Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA), LGUs must enforce basic measures RA 9003 cites for addressing waste.
Among such measures were segregating and recycling waste, he said.
Segregation would group waste that could still be re-used or recycled, he noted.
“Almost half of waste generated can be recycled,” he also said.
Such measures can be done even at the household level, he continued.
EcoWaste, Greenpeace and GAIA are among groups comprising Green Thumb Coalition (GTC), an alliance of environmental NGOs in the Philippines.
GTC earlier identified Duterte as the third most progressive presidential candidate based on this coalition’s environmental survey during the run-up to the 2016 national polls.
Citing his response to the survey, GTC said Duterte committed starting a program of action for the environment if elected as president.
He assured commencing such program within the first six months of his administration, GTC added.
President Duterte launched an all-out attack against the country’s problem on illegal drugs.
In previous speeches as president, however, he also ordered government to pursue environmental protection nationwide.