SUBIC BAY FREEPORT—Containers loaded with trash from Canada are still at this free port, six months after the Bureau of Customs (BOC) in Manila was asked to remove them, officials of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) said on Tuesday.
“I met [Customs Commissioner Alberto] Lina recently and he told me that his hands were tied. So apparently in that case [concerning the Canadian trash], nobody wants to take action,” said SBMA Chair Roberto Garcia during a Monday news conference.
In July last year, Garcia asked the BOC to take away the 15 containers loaded with Canadian garbage. The containers were part of the 741 freight boxes shipped here in August 2014 when authorities decongested the Port of Manila.
The containers were classified as overstaying items at the Manila port and 41 of these containers held Canadian trash, Garcia said.
“Unfortunately, the trash is still here and it remains our problem. I’ve been asking the BOC to take it out [of the free port] because I don’t want it here,” he said.
He said 18 of the 741 containers were returned to Manila in September 2014. He said 16 of those containers emitted a foul smell while two others were leaking an unidentified substance. Only one of the 18 containers returned to Manila had Canadian trash.
“Our government brought up the [Canadian trash] issue during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Manila but there has been no resolution until now,” Garcia said.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has made no clear commitment to take back the trash when he was asked about the issue at a press conference during the summit.
According to EcoWaste Coalition, 103 containers loaded with mixed garbage from Canada entered the country in 10 batches from June 2013 to January 2014. These were intercepted by customs authorities.
The environmental group has appealed to President Aquino to resolve the “unfinished business of Canadian garbage languishing in various ports” in the country.
“With his presidency about to end on June 30, we urge [Mr.] Aquino to put this dumping scandal that has infuriated the Filipino nation to [a just] conclusion,” said Rene Pineda, EcoWaste Coalition vice president, in a statement on Jan. 6.
Pineda said his group was hoping that the illegal garbage shipments would finally be taken back to Canada before Mr. Aquino steps down from office in June.
“The new President will surely have his or her hands full, and this environmental justice issue, we hope, will not add to his or her heavy load,” he said. Allan Macatuno, Inquirer Central Luzon