FIVE months after Lapu-Lapu City introduced the P100 environmental fee, city officials are poised to unveil environmental initiatives and programs, aimed at enhancing sustainability and community engagement.
City Environmental and Natural Resources Office (Cenro) officer Jocelyn Abayan said that as the implementing office of the ordinance, they have proposed hiring 40 additional garbage collectors, funded by the environmental fee, to help enforce the ordinance and ensure proper sanitation.
Abayan said this initiative will greatly boost manpower.
“We are planning to add 40 more personnel for the garbage collection team, as there are often absences,” said Abayan in a mix of Cebuano and English.
“Having standby or shift coverage would be better, which is why we are considering 40 additional staff to be funded by the environmental fee,” she added.
The Cenro officer estimated that they would be needing around P360,000 monthly for the salary of garbage collectors.
Another proposal is to charge the cost of water sampling in coastal areas, from Barangays Subabasbas to Punta Engaño, to the environmental fee. This initiative aims to ensure the safety of both locals and tourists engaging in swimming and snorkeling activities.
The City aims to realize these initiatives before 2024 ends.
Previously, the Cenro along with other agencies also launched and implemented the Scubasurero “Sibot Man” project on Sept. 21, which targeted to distribute 500 fish nets to all boat operators and boatmen.
The fish nets, funded by the environmental fee, will allow boatmen to travel across the sea and gather as much waste as they can find while island hopping.
2025 Plans
Meanwhile, Abayan said Cenro has allocated a budget for the fencing of material recovery facilities (MRFs) on both the mainland and the island for the upcoming year.
This initiative aligns with the provisions of Republic Act 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, Abayan said.
She said each fencing project will cost P6 million, with the implementation targeted in April or May next year.
“It has been reported that there are illegal waste collectors who have access to the MRF and then leave the rest of the waste behind,” said Abayan.
“This practice is strictly prohibited; allowing these individuals in can lead to unwanted accidents. Therefore, entry is not permitted to prevent this issue,” she added.
Moreover, Cenro is also planning to propose at least two to four garbage trucks for the 2025 budget that will directly collect garbage in the identified ports in the city.
SunStar Cebu attempted to contact the City Treasurer’s Office for an update on the collection of the P100 Environmental Fee but it had yet to respond as of press time.
Environmental fee
The Lapu-Lapu City Council approved the ordinance on the collection of P100 environmental fee on Dec. 20, 2023.
The ordinance was implemented last May.
The said fee is required to address the City’s environmental issues, such as illegal fishing, fecal coliforms in some beaches and garbage along tourist routes, coral protection and absence of street lights in tourist routes, among others. / DPC