Wednesday, September 17, 2008 Stiffer fines await anti-littering violators By Erwin Cabarles
CITY officials have agreed to impose stiffer fines and other penalties to violators of the anti-littering ordinance to ensure a cleaner and greener Iloilo City.
The Iloilo City Solid Waste Management Board and the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro) agreed that the campaign for a cleaner and greener Iloilo City must be intensified by imposing stiffer and tighter penalties against anti-littering violators in the city.
It was agreed that offenders would be fined according to the gravity of their violation.
Those who will be caught littering in the city streets and other public areas will be issued with a citation ticket to serve as a warning from making any further violation.
However, if the violator is caught once again, he will be fined P500. For second offense, violators will be fined P750 and P1,000 for third offense. For the fourth offense, the violator will face charges and will be referred to the City Prosecutor's Office.
The said anti-littering ordinance involves various sectors in the City Government. The City Technical Working Group, Cenro, barangay tanods (peace volunteers) and barangay officials were authorized to watch out for and apprehend anti-littering violators, not only in the city proper but in the city's barangays as well.
The fine collected from the violators will go to the barangay where the violation occurred.
The said penalties not only cover littering but also defecating and even spitting in public areas.
The City Government was forced to tighten the anti-littering campaign after some persons were caught throwing away their stuff, especially small plastic bags and even paper along the sidewalk.
