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.