Makabayan bloc lawmakers from the House of Representatives on Wednesday sought an investigation into the disasters happening in landfills across the country.
They also want to know the implications of these events on the safety, health and livelihood of affected waste workers and nearby communities.
ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio, Kabataan Party-list Rep. Renee Co, and Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Sarah Elago filed House Resolution No. 1528 for this purpose.
This piece asks the House, through the committees on environment and natural resources, health, and labor and employment, to conduct a joint investigation into the landfill tragedies.
The lawmakers cited as examples the fire in Navotas Sanitary Landfill in April, a trash slide at the New Carmen Sanitary Landfill in Davao City, the collapse of Rizal Provincial Sanitary Landfill and Binaliw Landfill in Cebu City.
‘Now, there are three things we must observe through this hearing: The review of the implementation of the ecological solid waste management act,’ Elago told reporters in an interview.
‘Two: The lack of clear scope of obligation of the government to penalize violations on occupational and safety standards for informal workers, and in this case, waste workers,’ she enumerated.
‘And third: The rights of informal workers in general,’ she said.
In the same interview, Tinio highlighted the importance of waste workers, especially the concerns they are facing in their livelihoods.
‘Their job is important as they implement what the public can’t do in segregating waste,’ the lawmaker said.
‘Another issue here is the displacement of communities near landfill areas, including the one in Smokey Mountain,’ he pointed out.
Dr. Leonard Javier from the Institute of Occupational Health and Safety Development expressed support for the resolution.
He observes that waste workers face imminent hazards in their work every day.