CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA)— To strengthen solid waste management efforts in northern Mindanao, the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB)-10, through the Ecological Solid Waste Management Section (ESWMS), spearheaded the Regional Ecology Center (REC) Consultative Meeting on the draft memorandum of agreement in Cagayan de Oro City, January 30.
“Today, we are having our consultative meeting because we will be revising and reconstituting the membership of the Northern Mindanao Regional Ecology Center,” said EMB-10 Regional Director Reynaldo S. Digamo, emphasizing the significance of establishing and operationalizing the REC.
He also highlighted the importance of strengthening the implementation of Republic Act 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2004, and Republic Act 11898, the Extended Producers’ Responsibility Act of 2022. Digamo also said the REC will play a big role in helping local governments implement solid waste management (SWM) by making it easier for everyone involved to work together on all things SWM-related, such as sharing information, building up people’s skills, and offering consulting and networking services.
Engr. Dovee Cherry Geollegue, chief of the Environmental Monitoring and Enforcement Division (EMED), said the activity is in line with the Extended Producer Responsibility Act (EPR). When the EPR was passed, it required EMB to start the reconstitution process to look at the changes to the law and the addition of related functions that are written into it.
“This process presents a unique opportunity to re-evaluate and strengthen and refresh our commitment to environmental stewardship, sustainability, and the well-being of our communities and the ecosystems as a whole. As we embark on this journey, it is essential that we stay true to the core values that have guided us thus far while also embracing new ideas and strategies to meet the evolving challenges of our environment. The reconstitution process offers a chance to align our structure, objectives, and roles and responsibilities more effectively with the needs of the region and the urgency of national and even global ecological concerns,” she said.
The members were shown the draft of the MOA, which explained what each of the agencies and organizations involved had to do in relation to RA 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, and RA 11898, or the Extended Producers Responsibility Law (EPR Act of 2022). They were able to actively engage in discussions, providing valuable comments and suggestions aimed at enhancing the document.
Geollegue said the consultative meeting marked a significant step towards solidifying partnership among local government units and partner agencies and organizations with EMB-10.
The final MOA, incorporating the feedback from members, will be crucial for advancing SWM initiatives in the region. The meeting brought together representatives from the REC, including from national government agencies (NGAs), the business sector, non-government organizations (NGOs), and the academe, to discuss the aforesaid MOA draft that will formalize their collaborative efforts.(EMB-10/PIA-10)
