March 29, 2024

The City Environment and Parks Management Office proposed amendments to Ordinance 35, s. 2017.
Cepmo Head Rhenan Diwas forwarded his office’s proposed amendments and additional provisions to Ordinance 35, s. 2017, “Regulating the sale, distribution and use of plastic carry/shopping bags and styrofoam in the City of Baguio to Councilor Joel Alangsab and Atty. Brenner Bengwayan, city council secretary.
Alangsab chairs the local legislature’s committee on health and sanitation, ecology and environmental protection.
Among the proposed amendments are the definition of a “plastic bag” where the measure defines as “Any bag made in whole or in part of polyethelene, polypropylene, and polycarbonate, among others and designed to be provided or used at the point of sale for carrying or transporting goods or item.”
The amendment seeks to add: “Likewise, a plastic bag with handles or strings usually made of low-density polypropylene or other single use plastic material.  This type of packaging is often provided to a customer at the point of sale.”
Engr. Wilbur Suanding of the Cepmo’s Wastewater and Hazardous Waste Management Division said the proposed amendments are currently being deliberated on by the city council.
Earlier, city council Legislative Staff Officer I Michelle Dulay submitted a status report to Vice Mayor Faustino Olowan on Resolution 244, s. 2018, “Tasking the Cepmo to immediately conduct the necessary orientation and training to all personnel to be assigned or deputized to implement Ordinance 35, s. 2017.”
Diwas, in a 2021 bi-annual report prepared by Suanding, enumerated various activities conducted by the Plastic and Styrofoam-Free Baguio Task Force from Aug. 24 to Dec. 14 last year.
These include the conduct of information education campaign on the ordinance, distribution of primers and tarpaulins, confiscation of plastic bags, orientation seminars, and information dissemination. – Gaby B. Keith