PROVINCIAL Board Member Roque Tiu said that they are now ready for the second reading of the anti-plastic ordinance after the conduct of a public hearing.
Tiu, the proponent and the main author of the ordinance, said the second reading will involve deliberation of every provisions of the ordinance by members of the board.
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“We will study each provision if there are provisions that are objectionable and if there are provisions that need to be improved,” Tiu explained.
Once said proposed ordinance is passed on the second reading, Tiu said that it will immediately be referred for the third and final reading.
Tiu added that with long provisions of said proposed ordinance they are expecting for it to be approved by the members of the Provincial Board by the second quarter of this year.
“This is a sensitive ordinance that is why we need to carefully study this especially that it is to be implemented in the municipal level,” he explained, adding that the penalties included in the ordinance will go directly to the coffers of each municipality and not the Provincial Government.
Tiu added that during the public hearing the ordinance has received support from various sectors, especially from the business and national line agencies.
“They were happy that the Provincial Government through the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (Provincial Board) has this kind of move that will regulate the usage of plastic bags and of banning it in the near future,” he added.
During the public hearing, the owner of a big business establishment in Tacloban City that provides materials for home furnishing was also present and showed their alternative packaging materials to the members of the Provincial Board and to those who were at the plenary hall.
Said alternative packaging uses old newspapers as substitute to plastic bags and were made by the families of their employees that become an additional income for their employees.
Aside from the presentation made by the home furnishing establishment, there were also suggestion made by their resource speaker that are considered by the author to be included in the ordinance.
Although there are apprehension from the market sector particularly in the implementation phase of the proposed ordinance, Tiu said that the vendors also expressed support to it as it is also advantageous to them.
Tiu added that the representatives of the Environmental Management Bureau also lauded the proposed measure as it supports their program to reduce and stop the usage of non-biodegradable materials as it will help to minimize the effect on climate change.
The representative from the Department of Trade and Industry-Eastern Visayas also expressed support to the measure as it will complement the agency’s program in promoting the production of native baskets, bags and “bayong” that will provide additional income to its producers. (Leyte Samar Daily Express)
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