Eastern Visayas office face complaints over open dumpsites

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines – Local officials in 9 municipalities in Eastern Visayas face complaints before the Office of the Environmental Ombudsman for their failure to comply with solid waste management standards prescribed by the country’s 15-year-old Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.

Complaints were filed against the mayors, vice mayors, councilors, and chief environment officers of towns in Northern Samar, Samar, Eastern Samar, and Leyte after they were found to have been “insistently” operating open dumpsites.

Letecia Maceda, regional director of the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) in Eastern Visayas, said the Ombudsman will gather evidence to determine if there is basis to conduct a full investigation.

“We need to take action against this open landfills that cause environmental disasters,” she explained.

It was learned that local governments in Eastern Visayas allow dumps in their jurisdiction – a violation of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act. They justify this, citing for lack of funds and the high cost of land and the huge volume of garbage.

Maceda said the filing of complaints against the local officials was not a scare tactic.

“We want to instill [in] them the need for action, and we strengthen their hand and support them when they’re doing good,” she added.

According to Maceda, the mayors will be given the opportunity to remedy the situation by submitting their corrective action plans within the next 6 months, and to implement these plans afterwards.

Maceda said the EMB office is now closely monitoring the compliance of the 3 towns.

“And if there’s no action yet, and no implementation yet of the corrective action plan, or there’s only incomplete compliance, a full blown administrative case or even criminal case will be filled against them,” she added.

Records from the EMB showed there are 9 local government units (LGUs) in Eastern Visayas that were endorsed to the National Solid Waste Management Commission for evaluation. Complaints will be filed against them with the Office of the Environmental Ombudsman:

• Catarman, Northern Samar
• Bato, Leyte
• Hindang, Leyte
• Matalom, Leyte
• Paranas, Samar
• Hinabangan, Samar
• Marabut, Samar
• Jiabong, Samar
• Salcedo, Eastern Samar

EMB records also showed the number of LGUs in the region that still operate with open or controlled dumpsites:

• Biliran – 6 LGUs
• Leyte – 33 LGUs
• Southern Leyte – 16 LGUs
• Samar – 24 LGUs
• Eastern Samar – 22 LGUs
• Northern Samar – 21 LGUs

Below are the number of LGUs that have closed dumpsites:

• Biliran – 2 LGUs
• Leyte – 4 LGUs
• Southern Leyte – 4 LGUs
• Samar – 1 LGU
• Eastern Samar – 1 LGU
• Northern Samar – 1 LGU

Meanwhile, EMB records showed there are 28 LGUs in Eastern Visayas with safe closure and rehabilitation plan. – Rappler.com