CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga-The City of San Fernando in Pampanga and Victoria town in Tarlac topped this year’s Environmental Compliance Audit (ECA) of Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) in Central Luzon.
Mayor Edwin Santiago and Mayor Candido Guiam III personally received the accolade for their city and town, respectively from DILG Regional Director Florida Dijan during the awarding ceremony Thursday held in line with the celebration of Manila Bay Day 2014.
The recognition goes with a P200,000 cash prize each for both first placers.
“ECA aims to assess the compliance of local government units within the Manila Bay area to basic environmental laws particularly Republic Act 9003 otherwise known as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, ensure that environmental issues and concerns are brought to the attention of local and national leaders, and see to it that public officers that are tasked to implement environmental laws actually do their duties and sustain its implementation,” Dijan explained.
San Fernando was cited for its distribution of 150 pedal-powered garbage collection carts in all 35 barangays; for having more than 50 functional materials recovery facilities (MRFs) in villages, subdivisions, schools, and private establishments; and passage of an ordinance that bans the use of plastics every Friday among others.
Moreover, Victoria was likewise commended for having functional MRFs and its regular multi-sectoral cleanup drives in its creeks and other waterways.
“Both San Fernando and Victoria shall be Central Luzon’s bets to the tri-regional Manila Bay area contest were they compete with winners from National Capital Region and CALABARZON,” Dijan added.
Balanga in Bataan placed second and Muñoz in Nueva Ecija ended third in the city category while Plaridel in Bulacan landed second and La Paz in Tarlac ranked third in the municipal category. (Carlo Lorenzo J. Datu)
