By Diann Calucin
The Caloocan City local government announced on Saturday, Nov. 5, that it has deployed 120 environmental police of the Caloocan City Environmental Management Department (CEMD) to reinforce the city's programs on ecological conservation.
Caloocan Environmental Police is a group under CEMD implementing city ordinances that protect the environment and natural resources.
According to Ryan Castillo, CEMD officer-in-charge, the 120 environmental police were officers from South and North Caloocan.
“Nagtalaga po tayo ng 120 na empleyado na magpapatupad ng ating mga ordinansa laban sa ilegal na pagtatapon ng basura at mga batas ukol sa pagpapanatili ng kaayusan at kalinisan ng ating kapaligiran (We have assigned 120 employees to enforce our ordinances against illegal dumping and laws to maintain the order and cleanliness of our environment),” Castillo said.
“Kaugnay pa rin po ito ng inatas sa atin ni Mayor Along na mas paigtingin pa ang mga programang pang-kalikasan at tiyakin na malinis ang buong Caloocan (This is in accordance to what Mayor Along instructed us to intensify the environmental programs and ensure that the entire Caloocan is clean),” he added.
The city government said it is in line with City Ordinance No. 0753 Series of 2017, which prohibits garbage disposal in public areas and imposes corresponding penalty fees and imprisonment of no more than 60 days on violators.
Castillo noted that they had apprehended over 400 violators since July 2022, who faced penalties ranging from P500 to P5,000.
The local government said the environmental police and CEMD employees recently conducted clean-up drives in Caloocan's public cemeteries in observance of “Undas”.
They also led the post-typhoon assessment, which included clearing and hauling operations and manning the city's waterways.
Meanwhile, Caloocan City Mayor Dale Gonzalo "Along" Malapitanthe called on the public to cooperate and observe proper waste storage and disposal.