Petierre warns vs. disposal of unsegregated wastes
BACOLOD CITY -- Acting Bacolod City Legal Officer Vicente Petierre III warned all residents, barangay officials and even city employees of Bacolod to observe waste segregation or else they will implement the full force of the law.
The “No Segregation, No Collection” policy started last April 1 and dumping of unsegregated waste is a violation of R. A. 9003 or Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.
“In fact yesterday night, the CLO Enforcement Team together with the members of Bacolod City Police Office has caught many citizens violating the law and charges have been filed against them,” Petierre said.
Petierre said the City Mayor’s Office can impose disciplinary action on drivers, or even government employees, who facilitate the collection or dumping of unsegregated garbage.
They will not allow dumptrucks to collect garbage if the proper schedule is not followed or if they dump unsegregated waste.
Department of Public Services head Josephus Serna has reminded the drivers of the dumptrucks to observe the proper schedule of garbage collection.
Some members of the City Legal Office enforcement is also helping in segregating the garbage before it will be dumped at the dumpsite in Brgy. Felisa.
It was on Friday when the Liga ng mga Barangay appealed to Mayor Evelio Leonardia to give them 3 or 4 days to collect the unsegregated wastes but Leonardia did not approve it.
“Serious implementation of the law has just started and other minor problems arise can be remedied and ironed-out with proper planning, introducing new system and of course the cooperation of everybody,” he added.
Petierre reminded that compostable wastes through the barangay will be collected every Monday, Wednesday and Fridays; recyclables on Sundays while residual and special wastes through the DPS will be collected on Tuesday, Thursdays and Saturdays.
Councilor Greg Gasataya, chairman of the Committee on Environment and Ecology as well the Task Force Clean and Green said he is amenable that they cannot perfect the system yet since they are on the transition period.
“We cannot change the attitude of the many in just a week or two, but at least in a short span of time, the people are now learning what should be done in waste management,” he added.
The mission for an orderly and disciplined people in this concern cannot be done by the city or city officials alone but with the support and cooperation of the people for environmental protection.