Gov't hits 50 LGUs, over 500 officials for solid waste management non-compliance

^{Sen. Loren Legarda commends the NSWMC for its "concrete action" vs. violators of RA 9003. RIE TAKUMI}

The Office of the Ombudsman filed complaints against 50 local government units (LGUs) and close to 600 officials on behalf of the National Solid Waste Management Commission (NSWMC) for failing to comply with Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Law.

The ceremonial filing of affidavit-complaints of the NSWMC on Wednesday is part of the second phase of the Solid Waste Management Law Compliance Program of the Environmental Ombudsman.

Corrective action

Hon. Gerard Mosquera, Deputy Environmental Ombudsman for Luzon, explained that Phase 2 would subject these LGUs to fact-finding investigations to check their compliance with the environmental solid waste program (ESWP).

The 50 LGUs subpoenaed will then be mandated to develop six-month Priority Corrective Action Plans (PCAPs).

Nine public hearings around the country will be held for LGUs to present their PCAPs, which will be reviewed and monitored by Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) regional offices and civil society groups.

DENR field offices and experts will be tapped to drive down costs and retain the sustainability of PCAPs.

Should the 50 LGUs fail to submit or implement PCAPs, their cases will be elevated to a full-blown investigation and may face the third phase of the compliance program.

The municipalities and cities, mayors, vice-mayors, and officials named in the complaint affidavits will be given time to formulate a response.

Filed at last

Commissioner Romeo Hidalgo of the NSWMC emotionally proclaimed that compliance with the subpoenas will prove the LGUs commitment to the President's "Tuwid na Daan".

The complaints were only filed this year after consensus was reached between the NSWMC's council of fourteen government agencies and three non-government organizations.

The DENR said the waste problem was deeply rooted in LGUs as they had jurisdiction over the implementation of sanitation projects.

Waste management programs have also been set back by the lack of funds dedicated to the NSWMC, which only received P48 million from the DENR's overall budget last year.

Actions made concrete

Hon. Conchita Carpio-Morales vowed to hold the LGUs accountable for the Ombudsman's investigations.

Senator Loren Legarda, who earlier gave a tearful speech on unimplemented environmental policies in January, lauded the move as it put into "concrete action" RA 9003, of which she was principal author.

Legarda said only 36% or 545 LGUs complied with all aspects of the law within 15 years of RA 9003's enactment in 2001.

She added that 15 years was too great of a grace period for lagging LGUs and cited Brgy. Niyogan and San Fernando for their ability to comply with the law despite its complexity.

With P500 million allotted to the DENR for capacity building programs for LGUs for the implementation of RA 9003, Legarda said it was up to LGUs and the next generation to bring the law to completion.

Moreover, it would fulfill long-suspended plans to clean up the urban landscape and protect public health.

Meanwhile, Atty. Antonio Oposa, Jr. remarked that effective implementation of the program will help the country develop discipline, manage climate change effects, and reuse waste. — TJD, GMA News