LEGAZPI CITY (PIA) -- As whale sharks are making a comeback in the tourist town of Donsol in Sorsogon, the municipal government has further tightened its watch on coastal areas to apprehend individuals who dump trash in rivers and in the sea.
Jean Rose Cadag, environment and natural resources officer of Donsol, said the local government has tightened the enforcement of an ordinance that authorizes the arrest of any person caught littering in public places, most especially in rivers and the municipal bay.
So far, no one has been caught in the act of polluting rivers or the bay, according to barangay records.
Volunteers pick up trash in Dancalan Mangrove Area in Donsol, Sorsogon to mark the International Coastal Clean-up in September 2023. About 334.25 kilograms of solid wastes were collected during the activity. (Photo from Donsol Municipal Environmental Management Office)
For decades, Donsol has been known as a hotspot for whale sharks, hosting one of the largest gatherings of “butanding,” the world’s largest fish, which feeds mainly on microscopic plankton.
In the past, the whale shark season in Donsol was linked with the occurrence of "planktonic blooms,” the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)-Philippines said in its Impact Report 2022.
Whale sharks are attracted to Donsol due to the abundant availability of food, the WWF-Philippines said.
Plankton blooms happen when Donsol's rivers discharge nutrients, it added.
NAKAMOTO volunteers pose with the motorcycles provided by World Wildlife Fund Philippines in the tourist town of Donsol, Sorsogon. NAKAMOTO is a plastic waste reduction program of Donsol municipal government. These NAKAMOTO drivers collect and transport recyclable plastics from far-flung villages using the motorcycles. (Photo from WWF-Philippines)
Hence, to maintain the health of Donsol Bay, it is essential to protect the town’s rivers, Cadag said.
Cadag said the local government also implements a measure that allows the revocation of the business license of establishments found to have unsegregated trash.
“Monitoring and inspection are conducted to assess adherence to these regulations. Penalties for non-compliance serve as a deterrent, reinforcing the seriousness of adhering to proper waste management practices,” she said.
Cadag further added that they are also improving infrastructure and facilities for waste management to facilitate the proper disposal and recycling of garbage.
Volunteers collect the trash in the coastal village of Gimagaan in Donsol January 24, 2023. (Photo from Donsol Municipal Environment Management Office)
Currently, there is one functional garbage truck in Donsol, and collection takes place on schedule per barangay.
In Barangay Lourdes, a remote area that is not accessible to garbage trucks, waste materials are transported using a motorcycle provided by WWF-Philippines.
Sammy Avisado, the driver of the "garbage motorbike," recalled that in the past, rubbish in Lourdes was just piled up because their garbage truck could not reach their far-flung community.
“With the help of the motorcycle, we can now easily and quickly transport the garbage to the dump site,” he added.
Collaborations with local businesses, community organizations, and other stakeholders contribute to a comprehensive and collective approach to solid waste management, Cadag said. (PIA 5)
