The proposal to create a uniform anti-littering ordinance and the employment of garbage police across Metro Manila is not meant to take away the powers of local government units (LGUs), Las Piñas Rep. Mark Anthony Santos said on Tuesday.
Santos in a statement said he thanks the Metro Manila Council (MMC) for supporting his two proposals, saying that the local executives’ support bodes well for a more coordinated approach to addressing the garbage problem – which is seen as a major contributor to flooding during the rainy season.
‘I am grateful to the Metro Manila Council and our mayors for recognizing the need for a stronger and more coordinated response to littering and illegal dumping,’ Santos said, adding that he was invited to attend the MMC meeting on Monday about his proposal.
‘This is not about taking away the authority of any LGU. It is about working together to address a problem that does not recognize political or city boundaries,’ he added.
Last Aug. 13, after several areas were subjected to flooding amid strong rains brought by the intensified southwest monsoon, Santos said it might be time for a uniformed anti-littering ordinance and the employment of anti-garbage police for all LGUs within Metro Manila.
Santos said the two proposals would allow LGUs to address improper waste disposal, which is still considered as one of the top reasons why floods continue to affect the National Capital Region. According to Santos, such policies have to be integrated as LGUs in Metro Manila are ‘interconnected.’
Santos explained that Republic Act No. 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 already prohibited littering and the improper disposal or scattering of garbage in public places, which prompted the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to place a P500 administrative fine or one day of community service for those found violating anti-littering violations.
However, higher penalties or other sanctions may also apply depending on the violation and the applicable local ordinance – indicating that different areas have different approaches towards garbage disposal-related violations.
Santos said that a uniform strategy among Metro Manila LGUs is needed since penalties alone would not deter people from still throwing their trash anywhere – noting that no less than Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon said that the metropolis is encountering a ‘garbage crisis’ having collected 500 tons of trash from the Baclaran estero alone.
The state of waterways in Baclaran have a direct effect on how water from municipalities over the southern portion of Metro Manila – including Las Piñas – will move during heavy rains.
To enforce this proposed uniform rule, Santos said a ‘garbage police’ or teams dedicated to monitoring waste disposal would have to be created – separate from the regular barangay police.
Santos this would ensure that those who recklessly throw or dump garbage in public places are held accountable.
The lawmaker relayed on Tuesday that MMC President and San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora will head the technical working group that will be created to study and develop Santos’ proposals, while MMDA Chairperson Don Artes expressed support for the initiative.
Santos said he raised the proposal out of his experience as a part of Las Piñas’ LGU.
‘The reason why I raised this proposal is not only because I am a Congressman, but also as a person who came from the local government and someone who understands and respects the important role that our Mayors at LGUs play,’ he said.
‘Garbage has no boundaries. If our waterways are blocked and flooding ensues, it does not ask what city the water should go to. So we need to have a coordinated solution,’ Santos said.