• THERESA MAE DULMAN
Bacolod City has officially deputized 305 barangay staff members to serve as environmental officers, granting them the authority to apprehend individuals caught illegally disposing of trash.
The initiative was formalized during a two-day orientation and seminar-workshop conducted by the DENR-Environmental Management Bureau in coordination with the Bacolod Environment and Natural Resources Office and the City Legal Office.
The program focused on the strict implementation of Republic Act 9003, the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, and provided specialized training on the legal protocols for documentation and enforcement.
Councilor Homer Bais, chairperson of the Committee on Environment, emphasized that each barangay now has five dedicated personnel tasked with monitoring local waste disposal.
Following the training, the city government expects immediate compliance.
It will utilize the Bacolod Environment and Natural Resources Office and the City Legal Office to monitor the effectiveness of these newly deputized officers in maintaining community cleanliness.*
