Over 100 mayors ordered to explain open dumpsites in their towns

The Office of the Ombudsman’s Environmental team has ordered almost a hundred local officials to submit an explanation regarding the existence of open dumpsites in their localities, which is considered a violation of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.

In a press statement, the Environmental Ombudsman said close to 30 of the team’s investigators have already been deployed to serve the orders to the local mayors, vice-mayors and municipal council (Sanguniang Bayan) members of Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Bataan, Nueva Ecija, Pamapanga, Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal, Albay, Quezon, Oriental Mindoro, Northern Samar, Leyte and Palawan.

The explanation order was in connection with the complaint filed by the Ecowaste Coalition last month over local officials’ alleged violation of Republic Act No. 9003 or the Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.

In 50 separate complaints filed on February 10, the Ecowaste Coalition said over 600 local officials violated RA 9003 for failing to stop the operation of open dumpsites in their respective jurisdiction or to convert them into controlled dumpsites.

Under RA 9003, “no open dumpsites shall be established and operated, nor any practice or disposal of solid waste by any person, including LGUs, which constitutes the use of open dumps for solid wastes, be allowed after the effectivity of this Act."

The same law further provides that “every LGU shall convert its open dumps to controlled dumps”.

In its order, the Environmental Ombudsman has given the local officials a “non-extendible” period of 30 days to submit their explanation of the supposed continued operation of open dumpsites in their localities or a report on the efforts that they have already undertaken to close down the same.

The local officials were also ordered to submit a Safe Closure and Rehabilitation Plan (SCRP) which must include the specific tasks, activities and legislative action to be completed within six months.

The Ombudsman’s Environmental Team headed by Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon Gerard Mosquera handles complaints against public official, employee, office or agency, concerning violations of environmental laws. -NB, GMA News