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Friday, March 29, 2024

‘Don’t let people turn graveyards into dumps’

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Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu on Sunday reminded local government units of their duty to enforce the solid waste management law in memorial parks and public cemeteries nationwide as the Filipinos prepare for All Saints’ Day.

‘Don’t let people turn graveyards into dumps’
Waste-free. Young members of Caritas and the EcoWaste Coalition campaign for a waste-free observance of All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days at the La Loma Catholic Cemetery stressing that cemeteries must be respected and not treated as dumping sites. Manny Palmero

Local governments must step up their implementation of Republic Act 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, Cimatu said.

He said people were continuing to generate huge amounts of garbage during the observance of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day, “practically turning graveyards into dumps.”

The LGUs should apply the full force of the law against litterbugs if only to send a strong message that littering would not be tolerated.

“LGUs should not hesitate to penalize litterbugs by imposing fines or making them render community service,” Cimatu said.

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The Environment department says about 30,000 tons of garbage was being generated in the country daily, and that in Metro Manila alone 8,000 tons were being produced every day. 

Cimatu said the volume of garbage shoots up during public events like All Saints’ Day.

Last year, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority said more than 5,000 tons of trash was hauled from just six major public cemeteries and memorial parks in Metro Manila.

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