Iloilo City to file charges over Jaro River trash dumping

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

The Iloilo City government is preparing to file charges against a commercial establishment for allegedly dumping waste into the Jaro River.

City officials traced the establishment through garbage collected under the Oplan Kontra Baha campaign, a citywide waterway clearing operation, according to Engr. Neil Ravena, head of the city’s General Services Office (GSO).

Ravena said the establishment operates in Barangay Banuyao, in the La Paz district.

“We already installed wastetraps, the reason why we are able to trace the sources of the floating wastes and we are able to identify who disposes of it,” he said Monday.

He said the type of garbage recovered, particularly discarded materials linked to the company’s operations, helped authorities trace the establishment as a possible source of the waste.

“They were identified based on recovery that they put it inside a sack because their nature of business is a dealership of the same bottling company,” he said.

Ravena added that the establishment had already been informed of the violation.

A complaint letter has already been served to the establishment, Ravena said.

He said the complaint will be forwarded to the City Legal Office after a technical conference is conducted to document the allegations and evidence gathered during the investigation.

The city is recommending the filing of cases for violations of Republic Act No. 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, and Republic Act No. 9275, or the Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004.

Ravena said he had also submitted a report on the issue to the bottling company’s main office in Manila.

“I hope the company will also undertake the necessary mitigating measures regarding the disposal of expired commodities,” he added.

The clearing operation, which began in late May and lasted 30 days, recovered nearly 80 tons of waste from the Jaro River and its interconnected drainage systems and waterways.

Among the debris recovered were sacks of garbage that authorities believe were deliberately dumped into the river.

“This one was placed in sacks and intentionally thrown into the river. We even have video evidence,” Ravena said.

Aside from commercial waste, authorities believe some of the garbage may have originated from informal settlements located near rivers and creeks.

The city government has intensified cleanup efforts in recent years, as flooding and waterway obstruction remain recurring concerns during the rainy season.

Ravena also urged the Iloilo City Council to increase fines and penalties for environmental violations, saying current sanctions are insufficient to deter offenders.

He noted that existing anti-littering and anti-open-dumping ordinances impose penalties that are too low to discourage repeat violations.

Under the Local Government Code of 1991, city ordinances may impose fines of up to PHP 5,000.

“It is difficult on our part because our personnel are exposed to health risks just to recover the waste. I hope a councilor will sponsor an ordinance that will upgrade the fines and penalties,” he said.

Ravena suggested that stricter sanctions, including the suspension or revocation of business permits, be considered for repeat offenders.

The city government continues to monitor waterways and enforce environmental regulations as part of broader efforts to improve flood control, protect water resources, and promote responsible waste management.