BACOLOD City — The Bacolod City Government has launched an investigation into an alleged shoreline dumping incident involving a beach resort worker in Barangay Punta Taytay after a viral video sparked public concern over possible environmental violations.
The footage, recorded on May 24 by a concerned citizen, showed a man pushing a wheelbarrow loaded with garbage toward a coastal area near a beach resort. The video quickly circulated on social media, prompting calls for accountability from residents and environmental advocates.
City Legal Officer Atty. Karol Joseph Chiu said on May 27 that the City Legal Office (CLO) has scheduled a dialogue on May 28 with both the individual seen in the video and the resort owner as authorities determine possible violations of environmental laws and local ordinances.
“Since the video is already on social media and it has reached the attention of our local government, our office will conduct an investigation on the matter,” Chiu said.
The city government emphasized that the investigation aims to establish accountability and reinforce the strict implementation of waste management and environmental protection policies.
The individual identified in the video, Jefferson Granada, 42, a resort worker in Barangay Punta Taytay, denied allegations that he dumped garbage into the sea.
Granada explained that the area was allegedly being filled with soil and sand materials, insisting that the waste was not intended for disposal into the water.
Despite his explanation, barangay officials and one of the resort owners condemned improper waste disposal practices, stressing that garbage must be handled through proper collection and disposal systems.
Authorities also reminded the public that open dumping and improper waste disposal in waterways and public areas are prohibited under Republic Act 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.
The city government noted that Bacolod’s designated waste disposal facility is the sanitary landfill in Barangay Felisa. The International Solid Waste Integrated Management Specialists, Inc. (ISWIMS) serves as the city’s contractor for garbage collection and disposal.
Meanwhile, the Bacolod City Government urged residents to continue reporting illegal dumping and other environmental violations to help authorities protect coastal communities from pollution and environmental degradation./PN
