Barangays urged to deputize solid waste ordinance enforcers

To better enforce the city’s Ecological Solid Waste Management Ordinance, the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) is set to deputize barangay officials and enforcers and give them the authority to apprehend and penalize violators to the ordinance.

Under the Ordinance 0706-21, individuals may be fined P500 for not segregating their garbage while erring establishments will have to pay P5,000.

Although the ordinance contains provisions mandating barangay functionaries as part of the enforcement body, barangay officials still cannot fine violators as most barangay enforcers are yet to be deputized by CENRO.

CENRO Information Education Campaign Team Leader Mark Anthony Gumban said their office is coordinating with various barangays in the city to schedule deputation seminars for barangay enforcers to address the problem.

“So far, naga-coordinate nako ani sa mga barangays na mag-conduct sila og deputation seminar para maka-issue na sila og citation tickets (So far, I am coordinating with the barangays to conduct a deputation seminar so barangay officials can issue citation tickets),” Gumban said during the Go Clean, Go Green program aired over Davao City Disaster Radio on Tuesday.

“In fact, naa nay tentative schedule by June or July 2023 na magpa-conduct sila og deputation seminar para ma-deputize na ang ilang mga enforcers or tanod so that they can now issue citation tickets sa mga violators (In fact, there is a tentative schedule by June or July this year to conduct a deputation seminar to deputize some enforcers or guards so that they can now issue citation tickets to violators),” he added.

Gumban said that after being deputized, barangay enforcers can issue citation tickets to residents who do not segregate waste as well as those who do not follow the designate schedule and location for trash collection. This will make the barangays less reliant on CENRO to enforce the ordinance and maintain a cohesive and efficient solid waste management scheme.

Gumban said Baranagy 28-C is among the several barangays that requested to have their enforcers deputized by CENRO this year.

“Approved na to ang ilang budget for the seminar so tuloy-tuloy na na siya. Pwede na sila maka-issue og citation ticket after the deputation seminar, so dili na sila manawag sa amoa kung naay problema. Pwede na sila maka-act, pwede na sila maka-issue og citation without the CENRO personnel (The budget for the seminar had been approved so it will continue from there. They can issue a citation ticket after the deputation seminar, so they don’t have to call us if there is a problem. They can now act on their own and issue a citation without the need for a CENRO personnel),” Gumban said.

Barangays that wish to have their enforcers deputized only need to make a request and coordinate with CENRO to have a deputation seminar scheduled for their officers. CIO