MANILA, Philippines — The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has apprehended more than 4,000 violators of the anti-littering law during the first three months of the year.
A report released on Tuesday by the MMDA Health, Public Safety and Environmental Police Office showed that a total of 4,316 persons were nabbed during the agency’s anti-littering operations in the first quarter .
Data showed that 965 litterbugs were apprehended in January, 1,053 in February, and 2,298 in March.
The “litterbugs” were apprehended in Monumento, Cubao, Ortigas district, EDSA-Taft, Guadalupe, North-EDSA, Buendia, and other parts of Metro Manila.
With this, MMDA Chairman Danilo Lim appealed to the public not to litter in public places.
“We are calling on the public to refrain from littering on the streets. Remember that garbage, no matter how small or big, end up in the drainage that contributes to flooding. Proper garbage disposal is everyone’s responsibility,” Lim said in a statement.
Anti-littering teams were composed of environmental enforcers responsible for the enforcement of the provisions of the MMDA Regulation No.96-009 or anti-littering law that prohibits littering, dumping and throwing any waste in open or public places.
Top waste materials thrown by offenders are candy wrappers, cigarette butts, papers, and plastics. /ee