Carmen Planas Street in Divisoria, Manila, is littered with mostly styrofoam materials. PHOTO COURTESY OF ECOWASTE COALITION
An environmental group on Sunday called on Manila Mayor Joseph 鈥淓rap鈥� Estrada to actively enforce city ordinances concerning the environment and suggested that he change the city鈥檚 approach to environmental issues.
The EcoWaste Coalition made the appeal after Estrada urged Manila鈥檚 1.8 million residents to reduce the trash that they produce.
鈥淩elevant city ordinances already exist and should be actively enforced.聽 And good practices in ecological solid waste management at various levels and settings, we believe, are on hand waiting to be recognized, supported and replicated,鈥� Aileen Lucero of EcoWaste Coalition said in a statement.
鈥淚f holistically and seriously implemented with nonstop public information and education, the planned system can help a lot in preventing and reducing garbage, while creating waste-related jobs and enterprises,鈥� Lucero said.
According to Lucero, more than 2,000 tons of garbage were collected every day along Manila鈥檚 streets and drains and waterways, quoting a report of the city鈥檚 Department of Public Services.
EcoWaste also said that despite the campaign of Manila to lessen the garbage produced, Estrada鈥檚 appeal 鈥渟eems to fall on deaf ears鈥�
鈥淒espite putting up the signage 鈥榢ung hindi mo kayang linisin ang kapaligiran, huwag mo na lang dumihan鈥� all over the city, Manila continues to be plagued by litter and trash,鈥� Lucero said.
鈥淧erhaps it鈥檚 high time for the city government to try a different tack in order to clean up the capital city,鈥� she added. /cbb