SAN JOSE, Antique – Loads of trash are frequently seen along coastal areas where 15 of Antique’s 18 municipalities are situated.
Some coastal barangays do not comply with Republic Act (RA) 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 and RA 9275 or the Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004, according to Vice Gov. Edgar Denosta.
Because of this, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) approved an ordinance requiring all households along the coastal areas in the province to conduct regular cleanup activities.
These should mitigate if not prevent marine pollution, said Denosta who authored the ordinance.
“With the new ordinance, I hope there will already be uniformity in the implementation of those laws by the barangays,” he said.
Cleanup will be scheduled by all coastal barangays at a mutually agreed date and time.
“Households will have to regularly clean their front yards facing the coastal area,” Denosta said.
Penalties would be imposed on individuals, households, or establishments that fail to comply. These are the following:
* first offense – P2,000 fine and reprimand
* second offense – P3,000 fine plus coastal cleanup service
* subsequent offense – P5,000 plus coastal cleanup service
The municipal or barangay treasurer is deputized to collect the penalties.
Aside from the regular coastal cleanup, a synchronized cleanup will also be conducted by all coastal barangays twice a year – every third week of March and third week of September during the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) Day.
The purpose of the ICC is to engage people around the world to remove trash from beaches and waterways, identify the sources of litter, and change behaviors that cause pollution, the same idea behind the provincial ordinance.
A Barangay Solid Waste Management Committee will also be formed in each village with the barangay captain as chairperson.
The committee will assist in the implementation of the ordinance and conduct training on ecological solid waste management. (PNA/PN)
