Please don't litter at Luneta especially on Rizal Day, Ecowaste group pleads

With Rizal Park in Manila about to be a venue for various activities this long weekend, an ecological group appealed to the public not to litter the park.

 

The EcoWaste Coalition made the call after the National Parks Development Committee (NPDC) reported many visitors littered the park last Christmas.

 

Thousands of Filipinos are expected to troop to Rizal Park on Sunday to mark the martyrdom of national hero Dr. Jose Rizal. On Monday, they are expected to gather at the park for the annual New Year countdown.

 

“We join the park authorities in reminding people who are planning to gather in Rizal Park for the New Year’s countdown to treat the place with highest respect such as by not littering,” said NGO Representative to the National Solid Waste Management Commission Romy Hidalgo.

 

“Let us not turn the sprawling green space of Rizal Park into a carpet of garbage such as discarded plastic bags, food containers and wrappers, and meal leftovers,” he added.

 

Citing data from the NPDC, the group said some 50 truckloads of mixed garbage, mostly discarded plastic bags and Styrofoam containers, were collected from the area after Christmas.

 

It also quoted the NPDC as saying some 750,000 to 800,000 people visited the park on December 24 and 25.

 

No smoking, no littering

 

EcoWaste also requested the park management and the public to strictly observe Rizal Park’s “no smoking, no littering” policy.

 

It noted those caught littering or smoking within the park premises are to pay a fine of P500 or render eight hours' community service for the first offense, P1,000 to 5,000 fine or 16 hours' community service for second offense, and P5,000 to P10,000 fine for the third offense.

 

“The festive season is not an excuse to bury Rizal Park in holitrash. Littering by itself can never be justified,” said Hidalgo.  — ELR, GMA News