SOME 14 vendors were apprehended by the Mandaue City Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro) for continuing to use disposable plastic bags despite the ban on plastic use.
However, Cenro’s inspection team noted that majority of vendors in the city’s old and new public market are following the ordinance by using paper bags in the dry goods section or banana leaves in the meat and fish sections.
Strict implementation of the plastic ban started last Monday.
Yesterday, Cenro’s inspection team returned to the markets for inspection. They also inspected a mall.
Placido Jerusalem, assistant officer-in-charge of Cenro, said the City Council approved City Ordinance 12-2010-562, also known as Plastic Bag Prohibition Ordinance of 2010, six years ago yet to prohibit the use and distribution of disposable plastic bags and styrofoam in establishments, including carenderias and sari-sari stores.
The ordinance requires only the use of “paper bags, cloth, recyclable paper and/or reusable checkout bags.”
Violators were issued a citation ticket.
Penalties
Jerusalem said they submitted the list of violators to the office of Mayor Gabriel Luis Quisumbing.
He said it will be up to the mayor whether to forward it to the City Legal Office or to the City Treasurer Office for appropriate action.
Violators face a fine of P500 or five-day imprisonment, or both, depending on the court’s decision.
Jerusalem said they spotted buyers who brought net bags and sacks, especially those who bought fish and meat.
“Actually, magdugay ni mangita man ni og paagi (vendors will definitely look for ways on how to serve their customers without the use of disposable plastic bags),” he said.
In a separate interview, Quisumbing reiterated that flooding in the city is caused by plastics that block the drainage and waterways.
“Sometimes it becomes more important to sacrifice a little bit of convenience for the greater good. There are communities that were nearly washed away by the rainfall last July 1 and that was not even a typhoon and that was not even an aberration in rainfall. It was just average for the season. I am no longer willing to put the lives of people in danger for the sake of convenience,” he said.