CEBU province has not enforced a solid waste management plan since 2005 as required under Section 16 of Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.
Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Baltazar Tribunalo Jr. confirmed this in response to a report by the Commission on Audit (COA) and said they plan to complete and implement a solid waste management act next year.
“You know, we are subject to the Ombudsman because of that so we are really trying to strengthen our efforts. We’re going to integrate and collaborate on solid waste management and disaster risk reduction and management,” Tribunalo said.
The report stated that the province’s Solid Waste Management Board (SWMB) failed to submit a 10-year solid waste management plan to the National Solid Waste Management Commission as mandated by RA 9003.
Republic Act 9003 requires local governments to provide a framework for managing their respective wastes to ensure protection of public health and the environment.
The plan must comply with requirements set in accordance with the National Solid Waste Management framework of waste collection, segregation, transportation, storage, processing, treatment and disposal.
Tribunalo clarified that Cebu’s Solid Waste Management Board already had a solid waste management plan that just needed to be reviewed and approved by the national government.
Tribunalo said many LGUs are having difficulty gathering data for waste analysis and studies which are vital for preparing the solid waste management plans./Ateneo de Manila University Intern Maria Lelaina R. Cardeño
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