Tabuk City, Kalinga – With the implementation of Tabuk City’s ordinance regulating the use of cellophane and sando bags and utilization of Styrofoam taking effect on July 1, 2022, it is expected that garbage due to plastic bags will be lessened.
Once in effect, business establishments, restaurants, fast-food outlets, food kiosks, catering services, and others shall be prohibited from using, selling, or providing styrofoam as containers for food.
Instead of plastic bags, the establishments and citizens should use eco-friendly materials or reusable woven bags (bayong), cloth bags, rattan baskets, shopping bags made from recycled materials, and other bags made of biodegradable materials.
The ordinance penalizes violators with P500 for the first offense, P1,000 for second offense and P3,000 and cancellation or revocation of license to operate in the case of business establishments for third offense. Aside from the fines, the prohibited materials shall be confiscated for all offenses.
City Ordinance No. 03, series of 2021 was authored by Councilor Samuel Suma-al in a bid to address pollution caused by plastics and styrofoams. The use of such materials causes clogged drainage and sewerage in the city.
Suma-al earlier reiterated that the ordinance must be strictly implemented saying, “uray nu adda ordinance tayo, nu haan met matutukan nga i-implement dagitoy enforcers tayo, awan met lang serbi na iti ordinance nu awan iti ngipen na.”
Under the ordinance, the tasked lead offices for the policy implementation are the Public Order and Safety Office, the Business Permit and Licensing Office, the City Environment and Natural Resources Office, the Market Administration Office, and the Barangay Local Government Units.
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