Cebu City Hall officials and employees report to work today with a reminder to observe and comply with the ban on single-use plastic materials which takes effect today.
As of yesterday, City Hall employees like City Environment Officer Patricio Salado Jr., said they started bringing their own metal utensils to the office.
He said the plastic ban will help educate employees in reducing waste in their workplace.
Lorelyn Lejarde, an assistant officer at the City Administrator’s Office, said she will eat outside City Hall in case she can’t bring her own utensils to the office.
“Hopefully, being plastic-dependent should be stopped. We cannot use them anymore, and we cannot even clean them, so we throw them right away. Not only our rivers but also our roads will be affected, and they will be polluted,” she said.
Cebu City Hall also housed food vendors most of whom are positioned at the ground floor staircase. They are concerned with how to sell their food without using plastic.
Melody Ferolino, who sells native snacks, bottled water and juice, said she will use brown paper bag instead.
Sarah May Sencio, who sells rice and other meals outside the City Treasurer’s Office, said she is quite frustrated with having to use brown paper bag for her customers.
“That’s the rule and if we don’t follow it, we will not be allowed to sell inside anymore,” Sencio said in Cebuano.
Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña signed a memorandum last July 3 banning single-use plastic material at Cebu City Hall.
“I have announced before that Cebu City will ban the use of plastics in stages. First straw, then bags, and so on. This will allow the people to adjust,” the mayor said. /USJ-R Intern Gerard Vincent Francisco with Reporter Morexette Marie B. Erram