(SALUTATIONS)
PEOPLE CHEERED WHEN THE ECOLOGICAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT ACT OF 2000 WAS SIGNED INTO LAW BY PRESIDENT GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO. MANY HAD HIGH HOPES // THAT OUR COUNTRY’S GARBAGE PROBLEMS WILL FINALLY BE SOLVED.
BUT THIS LAW, THE REPUBLIC ACT 9003, WAS NEITHER PROMPTLY NOR FULLY ENFORCED. WHEN I WAS APPOINTED SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES IN 2017, I IMMEDIATELY MADE SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT A TOP PRIORITY, GIVEN THAT WE HAVE SO MUCH CATCHING UP TO DO.
EARLIER, WE SHOWED A VIDEO THAT HIGHLIGHTS OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS. I AM HONORED TO REPORT THAT WE HAVE GAINED SIGNIFICANT GROUND SINCE 2018, IN IMPLEMENTING THE ECOLOGICAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT ACT OF 2000, PARTICULARLY IN THE CLOSURE OF OPEN DUMPSITES, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF MATERIALS RECOVERY FACILITIES, AND HELPING LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS DEVELOP THEIR 10-YEAR SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PLANS.
AS SEEN IN THE VIDEO, WE WERE ABLE TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF OPERATING DUMPSITES AND INCREASED THE NUMBER OF SANITARY LANDFILLS BY THE END OF 2020. WE ARE REVIEWING THE IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS OF RA 9003 TO MAKE WAY FOR BETTER AND BIGGER SANITARY LANDFILLS.
MEANWHILE, OUR ACTION AGAINST OPEN DUMPSITES HAS BEEN RELENTLESS. THUS, I COMMEND THE EFFORTS OF UNDERSECRETARY BENNY D. ANTIPORDA, MY ALTERNATE CHAIR IN THE NATIONAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT COMMISSION, IN SPEARHEADING THE CLOSURE OF OPEN DUMPSITES IN BATAAN, // PAMPANGA, AND JUST 2 WEEKS AGO, IN TANZA, CAVITE.
HIS AGGRESSIVE YET DECISIVE MOVE IS BEING FOLLOWED BY OUR ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT BUREAU REGIONAL DIRECTORS NATIONWIDE. // KAYA AS OF YESTERDAY AT 7PM, REPORT THAT REACHED OUR OFFICE INDICATED THAT WE HAVE THUS FAR CLOSED A TOTAL OF 38
OPEN DUMPSITES IN THE REGIONS.
HINDI NYO NAKITA ANG UPDATED FIGURE NA YAN SA VIDEO DAHIL FRESH NA FRESH PA ANG REPORT NA ‘YAN. THE REPORT ALSO STATES THAT REGION 4B WAS ABLE TO CLOSE 17 DUMPSITES WHILE REGION 6 WAS ABLE TO CLOSE 5. // MAJORITY OF THE REGIONS WERE ABLE TO CLOSE 2
DUMPSITES EACH.
THERE ARE REGIONS THAT MAY HAVE MISSED THE REPORTING DEADLINE BUT I PRESUME THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH NAMAN THIS TASK. CONGRATULATIONS TO THE REGIONS FOR A JOB WELL DONE! AGAIN, FOLLOWING THE MOVE OF USEC ANTIPORDA, /OUR EMB RDs WILL CONTINUOUSLY UNDERTAKE CLOSURE OF OPEN DUMPSITES WITHIN THEIR RESPECTIVE AREAS OF JURISDICTION.
AND THIS IS MY DIRECTIVE TO THEM: ALL OPEN DUMPSITES MUST BE CLOSED BY END OF MARCH THIS YEAR!
AND TO PROVE HOW SERIOUS WE ARE, THE NSWMC HELD A PUBLIC CONSULTATION LAST FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, REGARDING THE LIST OF THE NON-ENVIRONMENTALLY ACCEPTABLE PRODUCTS AND PACKAGING. THOUGH WE ARE EXPERIENCING HEAVY RESISTANCE FROM THE PLASTIC INDUSTRY, WE WILL STILL PUSH THROUGH IN COMING UP // WITH A LIST OF NON-ENVIRONMENTALLY ACCEPTABLE PRODUCTS AND PACKAGING.
WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT NON-ENVIRONMENTALLY ACCEPTABLE PRODUCTS AND PACKAGING WILL NOT BE LEFT BEHIND IN THE WASTE MANAGEMENT OF OUR COUNTRY.
DESPITE OUR SIGNIFICANT GAINS, A GREAT DEAL REMAINS TO BE DONE, BECAUSE OUR VOLUME OF WASTE GENERATION CONTINUES TO GROW. WE MUST STOP THIS TREND!
GOING FORWARD, WE AIM TO BUILD STRONGER COLLABORATION WITH THE CIVIL SOCIETY TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT, WHILE ENCOURAGING THE PARTICIPATION OF ALL STAKEHOLDERS IN REDUCING THE VOLUME OF PLASTIC WASTES GENERATION.
I HOPE, TOO, THAT OUR LOCAL EXECUTIVES REALIZE HOW IMPORTANT THE ROLE THEY PLAY IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF RA 9003. KAYO ANG ISA SA MGA PANGUNAHING SUSI SA PAGSULONG NG BATAS PATUNGKOL SA WASTONG PAMAMAHALA NG BASURA SA ATING BANSA.
THE MANAGEMENT OF WASTES IS NOT THE EXCLUSIVE DUTY OF THE GOVERNMENT, BUT OF EVERYONE. EVERY FILIPINO SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR TAKING GOOD CARE OF OUR ENVIRONMENT.
IN ANTICIPATION OF EVERYONE’S COOPERATION, I SAY, “MARAMING SALAMAT PO, AT PATULOY NATING PAGTULUNGAN NA MAISULONG ANG RA 9003 SA ATING MAHAL NA BANSA DAHIL – IKAW, AKO, TAYO ANG KALIKASAN!” MABUHAY!
