Manila, Philippines — The Metro Manila mayors have moved for the synchronization of the Anti-Littering Law of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to RA 9003, the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act for more effective enforcement as the environmental police start ticketing violators next week, September 16.

On Wednesday, mayors and representatives of Metro Manila comprising the Metro Manila Council (MMC) with MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino agreed that provisions and fines must be harmonized which will incorporate all existing anti-littering ordinances of the 17 local government units of Metro Manila and terms of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.

“What we want to articulate is to inculcate to the public on the value of caring for the environment and waste management,” said Tolentino.

Apart from the problem of garbage indiscriminately dumped in waterways and other public places, several mayors want that problems of informal settlers be solved.

Among the mayors who attended the meeting were Makati Mayor Erwin Binay, Valenzuela Mayor Sherwin Gatchalian, Muntinlupa Mayor Aldrin San Pedro, Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano, and other representatives.

Meanwhile, environmental police will be deployed in the metropolis to penalize violators of the Anti-Littering Law. Fines ranging from P500 to P1,000, await violators, in a bid to address the problem of garbage indiscriminately dumped into waterways and other public places.

MMDA Regulation Number 96-009 as amended by MMDA Regulation Number 99-006 or the Anti-Littering Law, approved by the Metro Manila Council (MMC) in August 1996, prohibits littering, dumping, and throwing of garbage or any kind of waste in open or public places.

Under the law, violators are issued an Environmental Violation Receipt (EVR), with corresponding fines ranging from P500 to P1,000 and community service for those who cannot afford to pay the administrative fines. Violators with unsettled records will not be able to get a clearance from the National Bureau of Investigation.

From January 1999 to July 2002, MMDA apprehended a total of 222,956 violators, 1,583 of whom rendered community service, while 20,943 cases were filed in different Metropolitan Trial Courts. Around P12 million was collected from administrative fines paid by the violators and divided accordingly between MMDA and the concerned LGUs.

The implementation of the law was suspended in 2003 after it was overtaken by more pressing priority programs of the authority.