MANDAUE City’s first day in enforcing the plastic ban last Monday resulted in the apprehension of 14 owners of retail stores in the Mandaue City public market.
Placido Jerusalem, acting chief of the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO), said store owners at the old and new public market in Barangay Centro still used plastic bags and cellophane in wrapping their sold goods.
“Among gikuhaan og picture ang ilang gibuhat nga paggamit sa plastic ngadto sa ilang customer ug mao na’y among ebidensya batok nila (We took photos of them using plastic to wrap their sold goods to customers and that’s our proof against them),” he said.
Most of the violators were from the fish and meat sections.
Jerusalem said they will endorse their report to the mayor’s office.
The City Legal Office will then file a case for the issuance of citation tickets for fines amounting to P500 and jail for five days or both depending on the court’s discretion.
Jerusalem said second time violators face a revocation of their business permit. He said they will also focus their efforts in malls.
Since the plastic ban started last Monday, Jerusalem said fish and meat vendors now use paper bags.
Market goers are encouraged to bring their own reusable eco-bags if they are not comfortable with paper bags and banana leaves.
Jerusalem said their office is studying an amendment to the plastic ban ordinance to close the loopholes.
“It’s possible that plastic bags are still there as only retail stores are subject to the ordinance. Maybe customers should also be prohibited from using plastic bags.
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