MANILA, Philippines — “On May 28 to June 12, let us show our flag and tell the world we are not their dumpsite.”
This was environmental watchdog EcoWaste Coalition’s call to Filipinos on National Flag Day—Take a stand against the entry of garbage from overseas.
“We find it very timely and necessary that we, as one people, take a united stance against the onslaught of foreign garbage that seems to be invading our shores,” EcoWaste Coalition President Eileen Sison said Tuesday in a statement.
The group’s call came amid the discovery of several shipments of trash from Australia, South Korea and Hong Kong, and the Philippine government’s renewed call for Canada to ship back its trash from six years ago.
“From mixed plastic wastes from Canada, South Korea and Hong Kong to mixed residual wastes processed into fuel from Australia, our country has fallen victim to this insidious global waste trade due to weak import controls and outdated regulations,” Sison pointed out.
“We fear the worst is yet to come until our nation makes a strong unified position against the entry of wastes into our ports under the cover of recycling or outright disposal. To make it crystal clear to everyone that our country is not a global trash bin, we invite our citizens to display our flag with pride during the flag days,” she added.
The group also called on the government “to immediately ban all waste imports,” impose “heavy penalties” against violators and “ensure fast ratification of the Basel Ban Amendment for concurrence by the Senate.”
Meanwhile, Malacañang said President Rodrigo Duterte is “firm” that the country will not accept any foreign trash shipment.
“The President is firm that we are not garbage collectors, thus he ordered that the Philippines will no longer accept any waste from any country,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said during a press briefing. (Editor: Mike U. Frialde)
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