THE first batch of hazardous waste materials illegally shipped to Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental were finally sent back to South Korea over the weekend.
Placed in 51 containers, the 1,400 tons of garbage that arrived at the Mindanao International Container Terminal (MICT) last October were returned to Korea after an agreement was reached between the two countries last December.
The imported trash were loaded on the vessel MV Kalliroe V8525, which left the MICT late Sunday, January 13, after the ceremonial sealing and loading of the container vans. It is expected to arrive in Korea in a few days.
John Simon, customs collector of the MICT, said the remaining 5,100 tons of garbage stored at the plant site of Verde Soko will be repacked and treated before re-exportation either in the last week of January or first week of February.
"Immediately isusupot na yun at dadalhin na din pabalik sa South Korea," Simon said.
Simon said the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) will handle the cases against all responsible for the illegal garbage shipments.
He also lauded all those who worked together, including the South Korean government for the re-exportation of the garbage shipments.
Misamis Oriental 2nd District Representative Juliette Uy said the House probe will begin once the Congress resumes session.
Uy said the investigation will determine who were responsible for the entry of the imported waste.
"Naa gyud conspiracy bakit ito nakarating sino dito sa Pilipinas ang responsible kasi nakita nyo naman ang area walang planta, walang warehouse, no processing plant, how come nakarating ito dito," Uy said.
The waste and pollution watch group EcoWaste Coalition called the re-exportation of South Korean garbage as "triumph for environmental justice, morality and rule of law."
"Our resolute stance to get the garbage returned to its sender shows how much we, as the Filipino people, want our fragile ecosystems to be protected against the adverse effects of waste trafficking, which is a serious threat to our people's lives, their health and environment," EcoWaste Coalition national coordinator Aileen Lucero said.
"By saying 'no' to garbage dumping from Korea and other countries, we say 'no' to the derogation of our country's dignity and sovereignty, 'no' to the disrespect for national and international laws, and 'no' to the harm they will bring to our communities," she added.