DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 01 September) – Two years after its passage, the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the ordinance regulating the sale, distribution, and use of single-use plastics in Davao City, is yet to be signed by the city mayor, an executive of the environmental group Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability (IDIS) said.
The Sangguniang Panlungsod enacted the measure on March 2, 2021 during the time of then Mayor Sara Duterte, who is now Vice President and Education secretary.
“Regarding the IRR, our latest information is that it is due for the mayor’s signature,” lawyer Mark Peñalver, IDIS executive director told MindaNews.
He lauded the City Environment and Natural Resources for already enforcing some provisions in the ordinance even if the mayor has yet to sign its IRR.
The ordinance prohibits the use of several plastic products such as drinking cups, ice cream cups, condiment containers, stirrers, straws, egg containers or clamshells, balloon sticks, meal boxes, and cutlery, according to IDIS.
It added that this measure aims to “reduce the environmental impact caused by single-use plastics and encourage the adoption of more sustainable alternatives.”
Under the ordinance, a special permit to sell single-use plastic products will be issued and/or renewed after payment of P10,000 annually to establishments that intend to sell these items.
Section 7 provides that permits to distribute and/or use will be issued only upon showing of necessity “for lack of commercially available alternatives and only upon payment of single-use plastic regulation fee of P5 per item.”
Peñalver said it would be better to have the “IRR released already so that we may be able to know how the stakeholders can help in the implementation” apart from doing information education campaigns.
Yvette Balayon-Mahinay, environmental research officer of IDIS, told “Wednesdays Media Forum at Habi at Kape” that the government must also support the establishment and promote recycling facilities.
She said there are people who are willing to send their recyclables to the drop-off points.
She added that IDIS is pushing for the total ban of balloons and confetti because “at the end of the day, they will end up in our landfill and these are single-use plastics.”
She said the local government should strengthen their information drive on the environmental ordinances to raise awareness among Dabawenyos.
“We urge the government to increase the environmental ordinances and hold dialogues and forums with the public especially, the schools… to inform pupils that we have these ordinances,” she said. (Antonio L. Colina IV/MindaNews)
