IPIL, Zamboanga Sibugay (PIA) – This year’s environmental summit urged all 113 participants from the different local government units in Zamboanga Peninsula region to preserve the environment for future generations.
“Information drive sa mga beach owners among unang pagabuhaton. Organize naman pud ni sila. Ipahibalo nalang namo unsay angay buhaton para ma-reduce kining plastic (sa area),” Tukuran Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Officer (MENRO) Jovito Ondiano said.
(Our first activity will be an information drive for the beach owners. They are already organized. So, we will just inform them of the necessary actions to reduce plastic in the area.)
The municipality of Tukuran is known for its notable beaches. Therefore, the local government unit (LGU) prioritizes cleanliness and waste segregation.
Buug, Zamboanga Sibugay’s MENRO, Nasser Mabol, shared the same sentiment, emphasizing the importance of involving all sectors of the LGU in solid waste management. During the summit, the municipality was awarded for having one of the best solid waste management practices in the region.
“Ang mga balaod nga gi-introduce karon need nga i-incorporate sa among plano for implementation. Kinahanglan usab ang information, education and communications campaign sa tanan nga sector ug sa katawhan na ma-involve ani,” Mabol emphasized.
(The laws being introduced now need to be incorporated into our implementation plan. An information education campaign is also necessary for all sectors and the people who will be involved in this.)
During the summit, several topics are discussed such as the Extended Producer Responsibility Act or the RA 11898, Household Hazardous Waste, and the Water Quality Monitoring Guidelines. Updates on the National Plan of Action on the Prevention, Reduction and Management of Marine Litters were also highlighted during the activity, and sharing of experiences and techniques of the UN Healthy Oceans and Clean Cities Initiative Project.
The two-day Environmental Summit is organized by the region’s Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB). It aimed to preserve the environment for future generations by finding solutions and interventions to reduce plastic use and changing the community’s culture to prevent plastic from entering the environment and seas.
“We have plenty of programs with regards to the preventions of these plastics na hindi mapunta sa dagat. Ang mga lead actor nito ay tayo na nandito ngayon,” EMB Regional Director Alex Jimenez stressed.
The summit was attended by MENROs from 75 LGUs across Region 9, members of the Regional Ecology Center, EMB-9’s team, and its Environmental Monitoring Officers. (EDT/CCP/PIA9)
