IMPLEMENTING WASTE RECYCLING LAWS

IMPLEMENTING WASTE RECYCLING LAWS

Who was that senatorial candidate who boldly declared that if elected, he would not propose any new laws because we already have enough? Crazy as he might have sounded to some, there is a ring of truth to his words. We do have enough laws. The real problem is that we are far too slow in implementing them—even though we are too fast in passing them.

Yes, that is the grand irony of our legislative system: we keep churning out new laws, yet we neglect to implement them. Equally ironic is that we do not revisit our old laws that clearly need to be updated. In fact, the “new” laws we need are those that refine and modernize existing ones—not add to the pile of unread statutes collecting dust.

Talking of ironies, one of the most glaring is how our environmental laws are being ignored—ironically treated like garbage. Republic Act No. 9003, the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, is a prime example. Despite its clear and detailed mandates, it is often overlooked. Our waste management laws, in a literal and figurative sense, are being wasted.

While there's nothing wrong with being passionate about fighting corruption, should we not be just as passionate about fighting pollution? In fact, pollution and corruption are often two sides of the same coin. There is a direct connection between the two—especially when it comes to solid waste. A lot of money changes hands in the hauling and dumping of waste by local government units (LGUs), which is precisely why some corrupt mayors resist implementing recycling and segregation laws.

It is, as the legendary detective Sherlock Holmes would say, elementary. The more waste is segregated at the household level, the less there is to haul and dump. That means fewer trips for garbage trucks, which in turn means less money earned through hauling contracts. But here's the kicker: some mayors make money from both hauling and dumping—two separate revenue streams that thrive on inefficiency.

So, what’s the solution? As naïve as it may sound, perhaps it starts with the people convincing their mayors to “moderate their greed.” The truth is, even with proper waste segregation and recycling, mayors and LGUs could still generate income—just not through corruption. They could follow the law by bringing waste not to dumpsites, but to Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs), as mandated by RA 9003.

And it doesn’t stop there. Mayors should ideally push for segregation at the household level, which would ease the burden on MRFs. But even if they don’t, the waste can still be sorted at the MRFs. In theory, recyclables from MRFs are no longer “waste” because they have resale value. Organic kitchen waste should ideally be shredded and composted, but even without machines, it can still be composted—albeit more slowly.

There’s already a legal basis for LGUs to support local cooperatives by donating funds and equipment as part of their livelihood programs. That means LGUs can legally donate land, buildings, and equipment for MRFs and authorize cooperatives to manage them. This just needs a municipal ordinance to be passed.

Now imagine this: waste management programs that also serve as livelihood generation programs. Even better, they could double as public health programs, reducing not only poverty but pollution as well.

This is not a joke. Methane gas escaping from unmanaged landfills is not only a serious pollutant—it also causes dangerous fires. Implementing proper waste management isn’t just a legal issue; it’s a matter of public safety.

Surely, there are still enough upright mayors out there willing to act. But we need responsible citizens to lead the way—people who will speak up, bring these ideas forward, and demand action.

Because in the end, implementing our waste recycling laws is not just about the environment. It’s about cleaner communities, livelihood opportunities, public health, and fighting corruption—all at the same time.

Let’s stop wasting the laws we already have. Let’s start implementing them.

Ramon Ike V. Seneres, www.facebook.com/ike.seneres
iseneres@yahoo.com, 09088877282, senseneres.blogspot.com

06-12-2025

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

HOW IS THE CRIME RATE COMPUTED IN THE PHILIPPINES?

HOW IS THE CRIME RATE COMPUTED IN THE PHILIPPINES? When we talk about the crime rate in the Philippines, we often assume that the figures we see are accurate reflections of reality. But have we ever paused to ask—how exactly is the crime rate computed? Where does this data come from, and how reliable is it? The computation of the crime rate in the Philippines is officially handled by the Philippine National Police (PNP). The formula itself is straightforward: Crime Rate = (Total Reported Crimes / Total Population) x 100,000 This simple equation gives us the number of crimes per 100,000 people, allowing for fair comparison across regions and time periods. However, the reality behind these numbers is more complex than it appears. Data from the Ground The foundation of our national crime rate is empirical data collected at the grassroots level—from individual police stations scattered across the country. Every reported crime is logged in local police blotters, forming the buil...
Read more

GREY AREAS IN GOVERNMENT FUNCTIONS

GREY AREAS IN GOVERNMENT FUNCTIONS Dear Mr. President: May I ask who is going to be the arbiter or referee whenever there are overlaps in functions between two or more government agencies? I imagine that there would be no problem if these agencies would just cooperate and collaborate with each other, but what if they are unable to settle their differences and they would just end up throwing blame at each other or finger pointing at each other? Allow me to cite some examples. Who is supposed to take the lead in waste to energy projects? Is it supposed to be the DENR that is supposed to handle waste? Or is it supposed to be the DOE that is supposed to handle energy generation? Or is it supposed to be the DILG since it is the one that could direct or influence the waste to energy projects of LGUs? Who is supposed to take the lead in producing and promoting the use of biofuels? Is it supposed to be the DA, since the production of biofuels is supposed to be all about planting biofuel ...
Read more

LOCALIZED FREE AMBULANCE SERVICES

LOCALIZED FREE AMBULANCE SERVICES As it is supposed to be, anyone in the Philippines should be able to dial 911, and a telephone operator should be able to dispatch fire, rescue, ambulance and police (FRAP) units as soon as possible, based on acceptable response times. I invented the FRAP acronym for easy recall, and I hope it sticks, if there is no other alternative. Unfortunately, due to a mixture of technical and political reasons, the Philippines has not adopted 911 as a national number, because some LGUs would rather use their own three-digit numbers such as 117 and 168. I actually proposed a technical solution to that problem, but it was not adopted either. For whatever it is worth, my solution is to install a call forwarding system that could route all calls to a central operator, regardless of what number is dialed. It is very sad for me to know that up to now, even if our country is already over one hundred years old, there are still many LGUs that do not have fire trucks. it ...
Read more