Pagadian City (October 22, 2019)– Being dubbed as the “Organic Municipality”
of Zamboanga del Sur, the town of Dumingag continues to embrace eco-friendly
steps in order to preserve and protect its environment.
Aside from organic way of farming, the municipality
is strictly implementing the ban on the use of plastic bags by adopting the “Balik-Bayong,
Balik-Basket Program” under the Genuine People’s Agenda of Mayor Joan Pacalioga-Abejuela.
The program is backed by the Municipal Ordinance
No. 4 Series of 2014 known as Dumingag Environment Code which seeks to halt the
use of plastic bags as packaging materials and for carrying away goods in the
entire municipality.
In the said the ordinance, all commercial establishments
are prohibited to use and sell all types of plastic, either regular or
degradable, of thin film, single use, or plastic bags for carrying away goods.
Plastic waste will not also be collected unless they are cleaned and dried before
submitting it to their respective barangay MRF or materials recovery facility.
Section 83 of the same ordinance encourages its
residents to use alternatives that are recyclable, reusable and biodegradable
materials when buying or selling. These includes woven bags (bayong), cloth
bags, baskets, shopping bags made of recycled waste paper and other
biodegradable options such as banana leaves.
Meanwhile, to promote the use of reusable bags,
stores and shops in Dumingag are motivated to formulate appropriate incentives
to buyers and consumers such as the point system scheme where regular customers
who use regular shopping bags can enjoy additional points. The local government
also encourages stores to provide special counters called “green lane” to cater
to customers who bring their own reusable bags.
Ambulant vendors, sari-sari stores, restaurants,
bakeries, department stores, public market stalls and other business establishment
owners proven to be violators of any of the provisions of the ordinance shall fined
P500 and one (1) day community service for the first offense; P1,000 and imprisonment
of not less than 5 days but not more than 10 days for the second offense; and
P2,000 and imprisonment of not less than 10 days for the third and succeeding
offenses.
For the past year, a growing number of LGU’s here
in Zamboanga del Sur have already acted to ban the use of plastic in their
respective municipalities. Dumingag, as one of the pioneers of the movement,
find it essential to really adopt the measure to help out in waste reduction
and as a reflection of their true endeavor of becoming a full-fledged organic
municipality.
