ILOILO City – Nearly 80 more tons of garbage have been recently pulled from Iloilo City’s rivers, drainage systems, and waterways under the government’s Oplan Kontra Baha campaign, prompting city officials to push for stiffer penalties as the rainy season approaches.
The volume of waste recovered has alarmed authorities, who said it underscores the continuing problem of indiscriminate dumping that clogs waterways and worsens flooding in vulnerable communities.
“Base sa aton monitoring, almost 80 tons na of waste ang aton na-recover,” said Engr. Neil Ravena, head of the General Services Office (GSO).
To intercept floating debris, the city installed waste traps in strategic waterways. However, garbage continues to accumulate, prompting authorities to trace its sources and identify those responsible.
“We are recommending the filing of cases for violation of Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act and the Clean Water Act,” Ravena said.
An establishment has been linked to improper waste disposal. The GSO plans to elevate the matter to the City Legal Office for appropriate action.
According to Ravena, investigators traced a significant portion of the recovered waste to Barangay Banuyao in La Paz district.
The nature of the garbage, including discarded materials associated with the beverage distribution industry, led authorities to identify a commercial establishment as a possible source.
“Base sa recovery, ang nature sang basura daw related sa dealership sang soft drinks company,” he said.
Ravena said the city has also informed the bottling company’s central office in Manila and submitted reports in hopes that corrective measures would be implemented regarding the disposal of expired products and other waste materials.
Authorities also suspect that part of the recent recovered waste originated from informal settlements located near rivers and creeks.
The discovery has renewed calls for stronger enforcement of environmental regulations.
Councilor Rommel Duron, chairperson of the Sangguniang Panlungsod’s Iloilo City Council Committee on Environment, said the city should review existing environmental ordinances to determine whether current penalties remain effective deterrents.
“May ara kita ordinansa pero kinahanglan naton i-review kun sin-o ang nagatuman kag kun sino ang wala. Kun kinahanglan i-increase ang penalties, dapat ta ini himuon,” Duron said.
Duron noted that several barangays have reported recovering tons of garbage, particularly plastic waste that clogs drainage systems and contributes to flooding during heavy rains.
He added that the volume of waste collected during cleanup drives indicates that public awareness and compliance with waste segregation policies remain inadequate.
“Nakita naton nga kadamo gid sang basura nga ginahaboy lang. Kulang pa gihapon ang awareness sang iban nga pumuluyo sa proper waste disposal kag segregation,” he said.
Duron stressed the need for stricter monitoring of establishments, particularly those using plastic packaging and other disposable materials, in coordination with offices responsible for issuing business permits.
Meanwhile, Ravena said existing measures such as the Anti-Littering Ordinance and Open Dumping Ordinance may no longer be enough to discourage violators because of relatively low fines.
“Gamay gid ang penalty. Daw indi gid madudla ang mga violators,” he said.
The GSO chief backed proposals to raise fines to the maximum allowable level and impose tougher sanctions, including the suspension, revocation, or permanent cancellation of business permits for repeat offenders.
“Dapat may ngipon ang ordinansa. Ang penalties dapat mas mataas gid,” Ravena said.
Apart from waste management initiatives, Duron also expressed support for the proposed Coastal Greenbelt Zone ordinance, which seeks to establish natural buffers in coastal barangays to help protect communities from storm surges, strong winds, and other climate-related hazards./PN
