IT MAY be uncalled for, but any person who dumps his trash at somebody’s house is rude, to say the least, how much more if it’s a sovereign country dumping its trash to another?
This action, when taken by any individual person to somebody’s house, not just invites argument but a brawl between neighbors.
In the Philippines’ case, Canada dumped its “recyclable wastes” numbering to 103 shipping containers sometime in 2013 and 2014. And since 2014, the Philippines has battled it out with Canada on what to do with these wastes.
Half way through 2019, Canada’s wastes are still here.
Just last Wednesday, Canada said it will remove truckloads of garbage by the end of June.
"The company will begin preparation for shipping in the coming days. The removal will be complete by the end of June, as the waste must be safely treated to meet Canadian safety and health requirements," Environment Minister Catherine McKenna’s department said in a statement.
Canada’s timeline, however, was rejected by the Philippines government, saying that it is not good enough, according to news reports.
News reports added that earlier this week, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said President Rodrigo Duterte will not agree with Canada’s latest timeline offer that it will take back its garbage by end of June yet.
The Malacañang spokesman added that the garbage will be sent back the "soonest,", saying "It could be this week or week after. Definitely not the end of June."
Moreover, if we try to look at garbage dumping issues in the Philippines, Canada is not the only country that dumped their garbage here. Just last year, South Korea’s trash ended up in the Philippines, but South Korea’s government took it back in just a matter of months. And just early this year, a one 40-foot container van containing 22 sling bags weighing 25,610 kilograms of mixed plastic waste was attempted to be dumped in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental. The shipment came from Hong Kong on board SITC Fujian, shipped by Hin Yuen Tech. Env. Limited, and was consigned to Crowd Win Industrial Limited. But fortunately, with the help of an environment
group, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) Region 10 were able to apprehend and seize the shipment on February 19 and March 7, 2019, citing violation of Section 1400 (misdeclaration) in relation to Section 117 (lack of permit) of Republic Act 10863, or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.
The latest advisory, however, said that BOC 10 will soon initiate the re-export of the illegal shipment to its port of origin, Hong Kong.
There’s no need for science or special laws relating to dumping of garbage to somebody’s ground. It’s common sense that it’s derogatory and disrespectful. Here’s hoping that why Canada dumped its garbage here is not because it wants to insult the Philippines as a country, but just a mistake of somebody from its citizens and thus, Canada must take action upon it immediately to prevent further misunderstandings. Our ties with the Canada have long been established, we hope that Canada won’t put it to waste just because of their wastes.