BY GENALYN D. KABILING
The government will stay vigilant against the smuggling of foreign wastes following the country’s “environmental victory” in sending back the illegal trash shipment to South Korea, Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said Sunday.
According to Andanar, any hazardous wastes shipped into the country could not only harm the environment but also the health of Filipinos if left “unchecked and neglected.”
“We, in the Duterte administration, will remain vigilant and in cognizance on matters of global waste smuggling to prevent instances, such as this, that could greatly and negatively impact our country on different levels,” he said.
The government recently sent back the remaining containers of illegal imported waste to the country of origin, South Korea, that were dumped in Misamis Oriental two years ago. Custom authorities had earlier seized the 6,500 metric tons of illegal wastes contained in 40-foot container vans that arrived at the Tagoloan port in July and October 2018.
The household wastes were mislabeled as synthetic plastic flakes by the importer.
Andanar lauded the return of the illegal waste to South Korea, saying it was a “environmental victory of the Philippines.”
He noted that the administration’s “commitment and political will” played a crucial role in the “timely and successful re-exportation” of the foreign trash.
“This victory doesn’t only represent environmental justice, but also medical and health justice for every Filipino,” he said.
“This as hazardous materials may have been included in the exportation which could have affected millions of Filipinos if left unchecked and neglected,” he added.
Andanar commended the Bureau of Customs for sending back the foreign trash imports. The South Korean trash was reportedly the largest illegally imported waste reported in the country.
“We also laud the efforts of those in the Bureau of Customs (BoC) Collection District X, who coordinated with the concerned parties and authorities in making the return of the smuggled garbage to South Korea possible,” he said.
Last year, President Duterte compelled Canada to retrieve its garbage shipment amid his firm stance against turning the country into a dumping site. He even threatened to declare war on Canada and dump the garbage on its shores if it did not get back their household wastes that were falsely labeled as plastics for recycling in 2013 and 2014.
The government recalled diplomats and ordered temporary bans on official travel and interaction with Canada when it missed a May 15 deadline to retrieve its garbage. The Palace order was eventually lifted when the trash were finally shipped back to Canada.
