Mañalac, Dian Lovely G.

GED104 – A43
Waste disposal is a dirty business that has a big income. Bidding wars in some
countries occur just to get the right to transport the waste to landfills because landfill can
produce methane gas that some specifically designed landfills collect and convert into
energy that can generate enough power from two landfills for 16,000 homes. Other than
this literal recycling of waste, waste reduction occurs in other countries such as the United
States of America because the manufacturers find that more efficient packaging uses less
materials and leads to more profit. In this case, green, as in monetary, is good for them,
which fortunately, even unintentional, is environmental-green as well. However,
according to research, the Philippines, as a developing country, generates more waste in
comparison to these high income countries by approximately 40%. In September 1999,
heavy downpour of rain came and loosened the mountains of filth in Payatas, Quezon
City that buried hundreds of people. This is most certainly one of the worst, if not the
worst, man-made disasters that befell the people in our country. Up until today, the
challenge for providing a solution to an effective waste management system has eluded
our developing country, even amidst the numerous policies by the government in
response to this problem.
Since the year of 1938, the government had prohibited throwing of trash into rivers
through the Commonwealth Act No. 383 (Anti-Dumping Law). In 1975, the Presidential
Decree No. 856 (Code of Sanitation) required cities and municipalities to provide waste
management for food establishments, markets, and slaughterhouses. Policies regarding
pollution control were enacted from 1976, specifically the Presidential Decree No. 984
(Pollution Control Law), which laid out rules and regulations in the prevention and control
of pollution caused by various wastes. Another is the Presidential Decree No. 1151
(Philippine Environmental Policy) in 1978 which acted upon the right of the people to a
healthy environment and the obligation of everyone to contribute. This policy required
preparation of Environmental Impact Statements which explains if any project may
significantly affect the environment. Many more policies were left unmentioned, but like
the ones stated are focused in one area.
Solid waste management is an environmental problem that requires realization of
the fact that this issue, as well as other environmental problems, cannot be considered in
one aspect only, but in all of its political, economic, technical, and social aspects. This is
what the Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000
realized as it took on a holistic approach to the solid waste management problem of the
country. Some of its notable features include the emphasis on the primary role of the
LGUs in implementing the policies, the mandatory 25% waste diversion through recycling,
composting, and the like, incentives and penalties for the people as well as the
encouragement for all sectors to participate in solid waste management. However, the
records of the National Solid Waste Management (NSWMC), which was created under
the Office of the President, indicate that as of 2011, many of the sections of the act were
still not followed: open and controlled dumpsites, only few sanitary landfills have been
established, and only 19% of the barangays in the country are being served by material
recovery facilities, proving how behind the schedule the mandated policies are and how
weak the compliance even to the most comprehensive Act regarding solid waste
management. Earlier this year, Ms. Cynthia Villar expressed her plan for the amendment
of the Act that will expect for plastic manufacturers to hold more responsibility in the waste
their products generate, citing the cause of the demands of these plastics, and their
effects in the economy of the country. On this note, I insist the government make use of
technology in making realistic process in which everyone will become aware, encouraged
and active participant in working to a suitable solid waste management, pass the
aforementioned amendment for RA 9003, and invest in scientific endeavors – such as
facilities, technological systems – for other aspects of the country to transition into a green
country, in the sense of both economic and environmental aspects, for three reasons.
First, awareness, or absence thereof, is the main reason why most of these
policies, even the most comprehensive republic act, fail to become the complete solution.
Although it might take many steps before reaching the solution that will fit the system of
our country, any steps will fail to become an effective waste management system if at
least one person disregards the need for the system in the first place.
Second, the means to actually participate is minimal, since most of the products
our country consume is wrapped in plastic. In many establishments, waste management
systems are implemented, but few follow it nor care about it, especially since most
manufacturers rely on single use plastics in their products, because the entire country
relies on the cheaper value of the tingi-tingi, from supermarkets to small stores.
Third, landfill-gas-energy facilities may be great investments to solve even a
fraction of the waste disposal, the need for energy in many rural, and even urban, areas,
since the Philippines as a developing country produces waste more and more, because
of the rapid population growth and urbanization. Other similar facilities, activities, and the
like are steps to improve both environmental and economic aspects affecting the waste
management of the country.
In conclusion, waste management may be a great challenge for our country, but
even as a developing country, it is not an excuse for the people of the country to not be
made aware and not be active in solving this problem even in the smallest scales of each
private home. Awareness and education in this subject is of interest and can be spread
with technology as easy as few taps and clicks. Likewise, this would not make any impact
if the government does not take realistic and carefully studied and planned instructions
and actions in the waste disposal, reduction, and repurpose in cooperation with
manufacturers that mindlessly throw waste – all of the materials, refuse, and money –
into possibly more efficient products.
References:
Amendments to RA 9003 expected to hold manufacturers responsible for plastic
waste. (2018, January 28). Business World. Retrieved December 5, 2018,
from https://www.bworldonline.com/amendments-ra-9003-expected-hold-
manufacturers-responsible-plastic-waste/
Atienza, V. (2008). Review of the Waste Management System in the Philippines:
Initiatives to Promote Waste Segregation and Recycling through Good
Governance (Rep.). Retrieved December 5, 2018, from Pao Obstaculo
website:
https://www.academia.edu/8737670/Review_of_the_waste_management_
system_in_the_Philippines
Film Theorists (Producer). (2018, July 31). Film Theory: Wall-E's SECRET Villain
(Disney Pixar's Wall-E) [Video file]. Retrieved December 5, 2018, from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlOM32b0FP8&t=1s
MANAGING SOLID WASTE IN THE PHILIPPINES: THE DIRTY BUSINESS [Web
log post]. (2007, January 23). Retrieved December 5, 2018, from
https://thinkgreen.wordpress.com/2007/01/23/hello-world/
Sison, B., Jr., & Felipe, C. S. (2001, July 10). Payatas tragedy: One year after.
Philstar Global. Retrieved December 5, 2018, from
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2001/07/10/91819/payatas-tragedy-
one-year-after