Valley cites solid waste violators

VIOLATORS of the Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Program in La Trinidad, Benguet were recently cited by authorities.

Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Officer Arthur Pedro, as of Feb. 6, at least one was cited in Barangay Balili and two violators were noted in Barangay Poblacion.

“This will only serve as a warning to them because it’s the first offense. This warning period is until February 17 and then we will implement fines on the 18th already,” Pedro said.

Pedro added the Bantay Basura and those deputized enforcers have given citation tickets to violators in Barangay Alapang but these individuals have refused to receive the tickets.

“If they refuse to receive the ticket, we still list them in the logbook and note their ‘refusal of receipt’ for us to identify them,” he added.

Mayor Romeo Salda said, the issuance of tickets will help them instill discipline following the conduct a massive information and education campaign for the comprehensive solid waste management advocacy program during the last quarter of 2016.

Salda also emphasized since based on their preliminary data, 10 percent of the residents does not comply with the proper time of disposal while seven out of 16 barangays does not comply with proper waste segregation.

Meanwhile, Department of Environment and Natural Resources - Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) OIC regional director Reynaldo Digamo emphasized the citation ticket issuance and fines to be implemented to violators is the last resort to remind people of their responsibilities in waste management and not to source out municipal funds.

Digamo believes La Trinidad citizens will eventually learn how to properly dispose their garbage, not only to help the environment, but to help in prolonging the span of the newly opened engineered sanitary landfill Cell 3 in Alno Dumpsite.