The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will be holding a National Clean-up Day this coming April 22 (Saturday) in line with the international celebration of Earth Day.
DENR-Environment Management Bureau (EMB) 12 Regional Director Socorro Lanto disclosed that based from the waste mapping of EMB Basura Patrol Program, a total of 6,393 violations of Section 48 (1,3 and 6) of Republic Act 9003 or otherwise known as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 in public places were documented by 250 Basura Patrollers nationwide.
Section 48 (1,3 and 6) refers to the Prohibited Acts of the law such as littering, throwing, dumping of waste matters in public places, such as roads, sidewalks, canals, esteros or parks, and establishment, or causing or permitting the same; the open burning of solid waste; and, open dumping, burying of biodegradable or non-biodegradable materials in flood-prone areas.
Lanto added that the clean-up will promote and support national government partnership with LGUs, NGOs, academe and the private sector, while recognizing and strengthening local and national clean-up initiatives.
“Ridge to Reef” approach is being adopted in line with the national clean-up, EMB added, with the convergence of all its partners.
EMB has set the conduct of the national clean-up every quarter scheduled every January as part of RA 9003 celebration and Zero Waste Month, every April as part of Earth Day celebration, every June as part of Environment Month celebration and every third Saturday of September coinciding with the International Coastal Clean-up Day.
Elbe Balucanag, Supervising Environment Management Specialist of the Provincial Environment Management Office – Environment Management Division, disclosed during this week’s Kapehan sa Kapitolyo that the province’s will enjoin all its department heads to conduct clean-up in their office and premises as a gesture of support to the clean-up drive.
