BACOLOD City Councilors Em Ang and Cindy Rojas are pushing for the amendment of an ordinance regulating the sale, provision, and use of plastic bags as packing materials of all business establishments in this city.

The two councilors held a meeting with the Social Action Center and other concerned groups like the Philippine Reef and Rainforest Conservation Foundation Inc. (PRRCFI), Linghod youth group, and student councils from high schools and universities in Bacolod City last week at the Government Center for the strict implementation of the plastic bag ordinance.

Ang, the main proponent of the plastic bag regulation ordinance, said the ordinance was approved in 2011 and it has been observed that most of the business establishments are not complying with it.

She said they will amend the ordinance which will include the imposition of the environmental fee on all plastics that are dispensed in the markets or business establishments.

She added they will also form a monitoring team to penalize the violators.

The ordinance aims to minimize the use of plastic bags; mainstream the use of reusable bags, and invite the active participation of the citizenry in practices that promote a clean and sustainable environment.

It stated that no business establishment, fast food outlets, market vendors, food kiosks, sari-sari stores, ambulant vendors, and the like shall utilize, sell or provide plastic bags and/or sando bags as packaging material to customers.

Ang said that like in other local government units, the plastic is no longer free and the costumers need to pay for it.

She said the environmental fee that will be charged to the costumers will go to the environmental projects of Bacolod.

Rojas, chairperson of the City Council committee on environment and ecology, said that the City Government is trying to perfect the implementation of the ordinance.

“We should need to enforce this ordinance to prevent potential serious ecological imbalance such as the garbage and flooding problems and pollutions,” she said.

She added they will intensify the information dissemination and seminars in various business establishments.

The councilors urged the business establishment owners to follow local laws to avoid penalties.