Up to P10,000 fine for vandalism in Intramuros – IA

Visitors at Baluarte de San Diego in Intramuros, Manila. | PHOTO: Grig C. Montegrande / Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines— Vandalism, littering and open burning  in the historic walled city of Intramuros

in Manila will carry a penalty of up to P10,000, Intramuros Administration Administrator Joan Padilla said during Tuesday’s hearing of  the Senate subcommittee on finance on the proposed 2025 budget of the Department of Tourism (DOT).

The IA is an attached agency to the  DOT.

“In 2024, we already have a  board approved policy for the implementation of the anti-vandalism and ecological solid waste management in Intramuros,”  Padilla said, responding to the queries of  presiding  chairperson,  Sen. Loren Legarda.

“So we will be  imposing administrative fines for those who will violate the Ecological Solid Waste Management law and we will  impose fines for vandalism, littering  and open burning…”  she added.

The  list of  the following administrative  fines for violations of the law was  presented before the committee.

For  vandalism,  the  fines will be P5,000, P8,000 and P10,000  for the  first,  second and third or more offenses, respectively.

For  littering, violators will be fined P 500 fine for  the first offense,  P1,000 for the second offense and P3,000 on the third and succeeding offenses.

Meanwhile, first-time offenders of open burning will be slapped with a fine of P800, P1,500 for the second offense and P3,000 on the  third and succeeding offenses. 

“We actually secured also the help of the MMDA (Metropolitan Manila Development Authority) because they have environmental enforcers,”  Padilla said.

“So  in our proposed budget for next year, we want to have our own environmental enforcers as well as so that  we can  impose fines and it’s also part of  our advocacy   to keep  Intramuros clean and green,”   she added.

Legarda could not agree more, saying it  would be a shame to have a heritage site filled with  trash.