• CHERYL G. CRUZ
The Bacolod Environment and Natural Resources Office (BENRO) has been urged to strictly implement City Ordinance 562, which regulates the distribution and use of plastic bags within the highly-urbanized city.
This as Mayor Greg Gasataya led the launching Oct. 2 of the Green Thursday program, or the No Plastic Day at Burgos Market, in a bid to reduce the use of non-biodegradable plastic to complement the Green Lane program among grocery stores.
Gasataya noted that plastic trash comprised the bulk of the garbage collected in a series of cleanup drives in flood-prone areas of Bacolod.
He said the No Plastic Day in the market is one way to lessen the volume of plastic waste that eventually end up clogging waterways and resulting in flashfloods. “Isa ini ka tikang nga mahimo naton nga sustainable ang aton mga merkado kag mabuhinan ang solid waste sang aton ciudad.”
The Sangguniang Panlungsod also said that “plastic pollution has become a significant environmental concern adversely affecting the health of our city’s ecosystems, waterways, and communities,” hence the need to strictly and properly enforce the Plastic Bag Regulation Ordinance.
“It is imperative for the BENRO to take active measures, and coordinate with local government units and concerned agencies to ensure compliance and effective implementation of the ordinance,” Councilor Em Ang, who authored the resolution approved by the SP, stressed. | CGC
