A city councilor called on barangay officials to do their job, particularly in implementing the laws on proper solid waste management.
Councilor Diosdado Mahipus, who chairs the committee on environment, said that village execs are mandated by the law to enact laws concerning solid waste management.
He made the statement in the wake of the recent controversy involving Datu Bago awardee Darrell Blatchley against a certain barangay official who is allegedly lenient in implementing solid waste management laws.
“I have long been espousing for the consciousness in our solid waste disposal,” Mahipus said. “Many years have passed since the Solid Waste Management law has been enacted yet until now, the public continues to be undisciplined.”
“Under the law, they (barangay officials) are specifically required to handle solid waste management. The local government units in the city and the provinces just support them,” he said.
“If not, that is dereliction of duty. I would like to call the village officials, particularly the barangay captains, that solid waste management is your job. It is explicit in the law that it is the barangay council who has the authority to implement the solid waste program of the government,” he added.
Mahipus warned that non-implementation may be a cause to file charges against barangay officials.
“I am not taking it against them but we have a law,” he added.
Meanwhile, Mahipus conceded that there is a need to provide barangay execs with the necessary support.
“We even have a law covering the proper waste disposal for so long and yet, the law enforcement authorities could not fully implement this due to the lack of technical support and logistics. If I also talk to the barangays, they would just say that they could not do much because they don’t have (garbage) trucks,” he said.
According to Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological and Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 the barangays are mandated to create the Barangay Ecological Solid Waste Management Committee (BESWMC), as well as implement segregation and collection of solid waste, specifically for biodegradable, compostable and reusable wastes.
Mahipus, who is ending his term as councilor this year, calls the next committee on environment chair in line to penalize barangay officials not implementing the specifications of the law.
