CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Despite government calls for the public to refrain from using plastic bags and other non-biodegradable materials, tons of these materials were still generated over the weekend.

The "Alang Plastikan" coalition, together with Provincial Board Member Ric Yabut and City Councilor Jimmy Lazatin, both chairmen of their respective bodies' committees on environment, earlier urged the regulation and banning of the use of plastics starting November 1 to protect the environment and avert flooding and health risks.

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Plastic and non-biodegradable materials dumped into waterways and improperly disposed were blamed for recent floods in most areas of the province.

But a lot of those reached by Sun.Star Pampanga during All Saints' Day said it was beyond their control.

"Kasi po pagbili pa lamang namin sa supermarket, plastic bag ang pinaglagyan. Mula sa kandila, bulaklak at pagkain. Pati nga po tong binili namin sa fastfood, sa styrofoam nilagay. Hindi po namin alam na bawal na ang plastic," said Miriam Gaddi, who breezed through the large crowd in the cemetery with similar bundles of plastic bags in tow.

"Emi pu balu. Ala no man pung sasabyan ketang gate. At plastic la pu talaga reng pidatukan mi banwa-banwa banta ala na kaming uli pang basura," (We didn't know. Nobody at the entrance gates told us not to use plastic bags. And every year, we use plastic bags as containers so we wouldn't have to bring home any garbage), Mar Dela Cruz said.

However, Sun.Star Pampanga spotted many others using paper bags and reusable green bags that night.

A banker, who requested not to be named, said: "We read it in your paper. And we want to be part of the effort to save our environment. We see nothing wrong with wrapping our 'baon' now in banana leaves and newspapers. Masarap pa nga e." (Jovi T. De Leon)