The Ecological Solid Waste Management Office (ESWMO) launched a massive information and education campaign program on solid waste management last June 9 at the Municipal Events Center.

The ESWMO particularly targeted the town’s market vendors, who according to Kasama Kita sa Barangay Foundation, Inc. Managing Director and ex-Councilor Levin Uy, are the biggest source of garbage in the town. Uy said that since the vendors are the biggest contributor of garbage, it is only fair that they should be the first ones to be educated on proper waste segregation.

With this, ESWMO Officer-in-Charge Rogelio dela Peña said that there is an existing law mandated by the national government, the Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, a landmark environmental legislation in the Philippines that was crafted in response to the looming garbage problem in the country.

The program’s guest speaker, Solid Waste Management Program Technical Consultant Celso Jucutan, further expounded on the contents of the law. In his talk, Jucutan outlined the policy of the state in adopting a systematic, comprehensive and ecological solid waste management program that ensures the protection of public health and the environment and the proper segregation, collection, transport, storage, treatment and disposal of solid waste through the formulation and adoption of best environmental practices.

RA 9003 is already a 17-year-old law, said Dela Peña, but previous administrations have failed to implement it. “We will be requiring trainings and seminars from market vendors in their application for license to show them that our Mayor, Dr. Cezar T Quiambao, is dead serious in making this town the cleanest,” he pointed out.

In his own speech, Mayor Cezar T. Quiambao called on the market vendors to observe proper discipline and be responsible for their waste materials. He also encouraged the vendors to abide by the law, adding that the LGU is doing its best to serve the people especially in waste management.

“Sana po ang ipalit niyo sa mabuting serbisyo ng Ama ng Bayan ay ang inyong pakikipagtulungan at pakikiisa,” Quiambao added.