City Council Unanimously Passes Pasay Environmental Code

(Landowners, Businesses, Lessees Required to Green Area;

Bans Use of Plastic-based Bags Even If Classified As “Compostable”)

Members of the Pasay City Council unanimously passed the “Environmental Code of Pasay” effective last October 6 to “ensure that residents of the City, present and future generations, will enjoy a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature”.

Pasay City Mayor Antonino Calixto said that “this landmark legislation stresses the resolve of the City Government to address the climate change concern and the issue of sustainable development. We will implement the full force of the Law.”

An important provision of the Pasay Environmental Code is Section 9 where all landowners, whether public or private, are required to plant herbal medicinal, vegetative, ornamental, shade and fruit bearing trees. If and when the flora dies, it must be replaced.

Moreover, every owner or lessee of newly built structures will be required by the City Engineer and Building Official of Pasay to put up a greening area/portion of the land where the building is to be constructed.

Household and small businesses such as as salons, sari-sari stores and clinics are required to maintain a minimum of 3 pots of plants.

Buildings, establishments such as condominiums, factories, companies, hotels, convention centers and malls are required to devote 10 percent (10%) of the total floor areas for Pasay greening program.

Further, commercial and industrial establishments are mandated five percent of their total floor area.

The City Engineer or the Building Official of the City Government will not issue and/or approve the building permit unless the said area allocated for greening shall have been set aside and complied with.                                                                                                                                        

“In an urban setting such as Pasay, we need to maximize our spaces but we should still provide green spaces for plants to grow,” the Mayor said.

In addition, the Pasay Environmental Code bans of the use of all forms of plastic carryout bags. The provision stated that “no person, business establishment, operator, seller, or any similar entity, shall provide a plastic carryout bag, whether or not such bag has been classified as compostable.”

The use of all forms of styrofor products for packing, storing or serving food products or packaging of other goods is also banned.

“We have noticed that plastic bags consist of 90% of the total waste materials in our waterways.  This has been the major cause of clogging and flooding in areas near the riverside,” Calixto stressed.

Any store or business establishment that violates or fails to comply with the Code provision, after a due written notice has been served, shall be guilty of an infraction.

For subsequent violations, the following penalties have been imposed upon the owner or operator of the store; Warning for the first violation; an Administrative Fine not exceeding P1,000.00 for the second violation; and, P3,000.00 for the third violation.

Closure of the business or cancellation of the Business Permit will be meted for the final violation.

The Environmental Code also requires every barangay to set up a Barangay Environmental Desk to address and report violations of the Environmental Code.

“The role of the barangay is very important.  We should educate each and every citizen of Pasay to do its part to save the environment.  I believe that this is the first step towards a cleaner and greener Pasay,” Calixto said.