BAGUIO CITY – The City Council approved on first reading a proposed ordinance prohibiting the dumping of carcasses of animals in public and open spaces, private properties, rivers, drainages and other waterways and providing penalties for violations.
The ordinance authored by Councilor Leandro B. Yangot, Jr. stated the dumping of carcasses of animals such as dogs, pigs, cats, and rats, among others in drainages, canals, rivers and other waterways is strictly prohibited. Under the ordinance, any person, natural or juridical, found violating the provisions of the ordinance shall be fined in the amount of P1,000 for the first offense, P2,000 for the second offense and P5,000 and 36 hours of community service in his or her barangay for the third offense.
Article 3, Section 456, paragraph 5 (13) of the Local Government Code of 1991 empowers the City Council to enact ordinances and approve resolutions necessary for the health and welfare of their constituents and shall prohibit littering and placing or drawing of garbage, refuse, and other filth and waste.
Yangot revealed that is has been observed that dead animals such as pet dogs, cats, rats, and pigs are dumped in drainages, canals, rivers and other waterways that pose a serious threat to the health and welfare of the residents.
According to him, the said the unhealthful practice causes the widespread of infectious diseases and causes pollution of the city’s rivers and waterways, especially in the different barangays around the city.
He claimed the local legislative body must enact the appropriate ordinance to impose stiffer penalties against those caught violating the provisions of the measure to make sure that the animal carcasses are properly disposed of by the concerned residents in line with proper health and sanitation measures.
The ordinance stated that there are unscrupulous establishment owners and residents who willfully dump the animal carcasses in various waterways around the city posing a serious threat to the health and sanitation of the people around the said waterways, thus, the city and barangays must devise appropriate strategies to ensure the cleanliness of the waterways in their respective areas of jurisdiction.
He said the passage of the ordinance will ensure that individuals do not dump the animal carcasses in the city’s various waterways under pain of penalty and to properly dispose of said carcasses in their backyard in compliance with good health and sanitation practices.
Aside from the dumping of the animal carcasses in waterways around the city, the ordinance seeks to instill discipline among residents in the proper disposal of the waste generated inside their residences.
By Dexter A. See
