Group renews call for PHL to file diplomatic protest vs. Canada over waste

The Philippine government will not be able to get rid of Canadian waste without filing a diplomatic protest, an environmental group said Monday.

"Una ay mag-file ng diplomatic protest ang DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) kasi hindi pa iyan nagagawa. Pag na-file iyan, uusad iyang kaso sa international court," Anna Kapunan, campaigns and advocacy specialist of the environmental group Ban Toxics, told News To Go in an interview.

Kapunan said that under the Basel Convention, to which the Philippines is a signatory, Canada will be forced to take back its waste dumped in the country 30 days after the filing of the diplomatic protest.

Kapunan made the statement following the assurance of Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon that he is meeting with the DFA regarding the disposal of the tons of Canadian waste stored in Manila and Subic ports.

“Once cleared, why do we need to keep this garbage? We have to dispose it,” Faeldon said.

He added that he is willing to use the budget of the Bureau of Customs in disposing of the Canadian waste.

Hopeful of Duterte

Kapunan, meanwhile, said that the group is more hopeful that the Canadian waste will be removed from the country during the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.

"Si President Digong noong siya ay mayor pa, siya ang pangunahing nananawagan na ibalik ang basura sa Canada. So kung ganoon ang track ng ating Presidente, malamang si Commissioner Faeldon ay makikinig din," she said.

She added: "Oo. very, very hopeful kasi even the President was very very vocal about it and he was very active for the return of Canada waste."

Kapunan said that Ban Toxics will "engage" the concerned government agencies, including the DFA, Customs and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), to prompt moves to return Canada's waste.

She said that on the part of the government, the first move would have to come from the DENR, which needs to send a recommendation to the DFA for the filing of the diplomatic protest. —Kiersnerr Gerwin Tacadena/ALG, GMA News