OVER 5,000 metric tons of plastic waste imported from South Korea will be shipped back to the Southeast Asian country by June 30, Misamis Oriental 2nd Distric Rep. Juliette Uy announced Friday, June 14, 2019.

Uy said Philippine and South Korean officials agreed on the June 30 target date during a bilateral meeting held on Thursday, June 13.

The South Korean garbage was imported by Korean company Verde Soko Phil. Industrial Corporation, a locator at the Phividec Industrial Estate in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental.

"For the next two weeks, the imported garbage consignee Verde Soko and a logistics firm will undertake the rebagging and transport of the garbage from Phividec to the port in shipping containers," Uy said in a press statement.

"For their part, the South Korean side will 'find and provide" an available vessel while Philippine officials will inform them of when at least 20 containerized garbage is ready for shipping back to South Korea," she continued.

Uy said she asked the South Korean representative Director General Yeong-Dae Jung of the Ministry of Environment to coordinate with the Philippines' National Bureau of Investigation and Department of Justice on the conduct of an investigation into the shipment and the possible filing of criminal charges against those involved.

Also in the meeting were Customs District Collector Folor Calixihan, Mindanao Container Terminal Port Collector John Simons, Misamis Oriental Provincial Board Member Gerardo Sabal III, and Abbas Lao of the Environmental Management Bureau in Northern Mindanao. (Ryniel Berlanga/SunStar Philippines)