20 LGUs get green light for solid waste mgmt plans

September 30, 2018

Twenty local government units (LGUs) have been given the green light to implement their respective 10-year solid waste management (SWM) plans pursuant to Republic Act 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.

This was announced by Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Undersecretary for Solid Waste Management and LGU Concerns Benny Antiporda, who concurrently chairs the National Solid Waste Management Commission (NSWMC).

According to Antiporda, the SWM plans of 20 LGUs for the years 2017 to 2028 were approved by the NSWMC during a recent meeting presided by its vice chair Crispian Lao.

Antiporda said the approved SWM plans of 20 LGUs, mostly from Luzon, “signifies their commitment and cooperation to a cleaner environment and better health for their constituents.”

Last month, the NSWMC also approved the SWM plans of Quezon City and 15 municipalities in Luzon.

Antiporda said the DENR and the NSWMC are committed to providing technical assistance to LGUs in preparing and implementing their respective SWM plans.

The approved SWM plans include strategies on residual, recyclable, biodegradable and special wastes such as the strict implementation of the “No Segregation, No Collection” policy, recycling of single-use plastics, and composting and construction of vault for health care wastes. Municipal ordinances in support of these strategies were also identified.

RA 9003 provides for a systematic, comprehensive, and ecological solid waste management program that includes SWM activities such as avoidance, reduction, reuse, recycling, composting and proper disposal of residual waste.

The NSWMC, led by Lao, personally handed over the resolutions approving the SWM plans to Mayors Milliard Villanueva, Larry Villanueva and Nathali Ann Debuque of the municipalities of Concepcion, San Dionisio and Anilao in Iloilo province, respectively; Fulgencio Mercado and Michael Angelo Rivera of Taal and Padre Garcia in Batangas; Cynthia Estanislao of Morong, Bataan; and Betty Lacbayan of Anao, Tarlac.

The commission also approved the SWM plans of the towns of Balete, Mabini and San Pascual in Batangas province; Orani, Bataan; Baliuag, Calumpit and Hagonoy in Bulacan; Science City of Munoz, Quezon and San Leonardo in Nueva Ecija; Floridablanca and Lubao in Pampanga; and Camiling, Tarlac.

“The commission believes that ‘zero basura’ is possible with the concerted efforts of all citizenry led by their LGUs,”Antiporda added.

The resolutions require the LGUs to submit to the NSWMC their final plans with a Sangguniang Bayan Resolution and an annual progress report on the strategies implemented and accomplishments.

The commission may revoke the approval of the plan for non-compliance with the law and the SWM plan.

The law mandates all LGUs through their solid waste management boards to prepare a 10-year SWM plan consistent with the National Solid Waste Management Framework. The plan shall be for the reuse, recycling and composting of wastes generated in their jurisdictions.

The SWM plans of LGUs shall ensure the efficient management of solid waste generated in their cities and municipalities.

The NSWMC is primary agency tasked to implement the provisions of RA 9003. It oversees the implementation of SWM plans and prescribes policies to achieve the objectives of the law.

The commission has 14 members from the government sector and 3 members from the private sector. DMS