Flag Captial is Green Capital

By Mac Gilbert U. Felecio

The esteemed “Flag Captial of the Philippines”, Imus City has always been one of the most
progressive cities not just in Cavite, but in the whole Philippines. With a population of about 539,743 people
and an area covering 5,314.60 hectares, Imus City continues its rapid growth in terms of its economy and its
population. But with its unbridled development in the last ten years, another comes a big and smelly problem.
According to Imus City’s City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) head Doris Sagenes
(2013), Imus City is one of the top producers of wastes in the province of Cavite, contributing about 27.2%
recyclable, 36.78% biodegradable, 21.93% residual, 13.99% plastics and Styrofoam, and 0.10% toxic and
hazardous waste. This trend is expected to go higher if no action is initiated, and the amount of garbage
continues to grow and grow. Hence, the city acted upon itself and implemented different ordinances, and
launched various programs to combat these problems.

Hon. Emmanuel L. Maliksi, former Mayor of Imus City (Middle Left), and Ms. Doris L. Sagenes, City ENR
Officer of Imus (Farthest right)
I. Legislative Laws and City Ordinances
Imus City follows ordinances from the province of Cavite, which in turn is based on the implemented
Philippine environmental laws. One of these policies is the implementation of a “no loitering” policy in the
entire city in accordance with the Republic Act No. 9003, which is the Ecological Solid Waste Management
Act of 2000. The city has imposed fines and punishments to those who were caught loitering, ranging from
200 pesos with 3-day community service to 1000 pesos and 5 days imprisonment. This policy aims to improve
cleanliness in the whole city and promote responsible waste disposal habits among the citizens. The city
government believes that by strictly enforcing this policy, they can encourage people to dispose of their waste
properly and avoid littering in public spaces.

“No Loitering Policy” Informational Poster

Furthermore, also in accordance with R.A 9003, the city also imposed an “Anti-Burning Law” that prohibits
Imus citizens from burning any kind of waste in their backyard and imposes penalties on those who are
caught doing it. Penalties range from 1-15 days (about 2 weeks) of imprisonment along with corresponding
fines, which amount to 1,000-15,000 pesos depending on the time of the offense. The city aims to reduce
the number of harmful substances that are emitted by the incineration of garbage and organic wastes such
as dioxins, furans, heavy metals, and other dangerous air pollutants, as these emissions have serious
adverse consequences on public health and the environment.
 “Anti Burning Law” Informational Poster

These policies are just part of City Ordinance No. 02-55, which is the 2015 Environment Code of Imus. The
ordinance was primarily created to regulate activities that could potentially harm the environment and promote
sustainable development within the city. Other key provisions of the code include the establishment of
environmental standards for businesses and industries operating in the city, the regulation of land use and
zoning, and the promotion of environmental awareness among Imus citizens.
 The 2015 Environment Code of Imus Informational Poster

Main agendas of the 2015 Environment Code of Imus include the Following:
• Ban on the cutting of trees without a permit – Chapter IV, Section 34
• Ban on throwing of waste on public streets – Chapter V, Section 48A-1
• “Tapat Ko Linis Ko” policy – Chapter V, Section 48A-1
• Ban on bringing trash outside expect on collection day – Chapter V, Section 48A-1
• Ban on incineration of waste – Chapter VII, Section 68c
The impact of the 2015 Environment Code of Imus in terms of promoting environmental sustainability and
reducing the negative impact of human activities on the environment is likely to be significant. By regulating
activities that could potentially harm the environment and promoting sustainable development, the ordinance
may help to preserve the city’s natural resources and ecosystems for the future. However, the full impact of
the code will depend on its effective implementation and enforcement, as well as the willingness of citizens
and businesses to comply with its provisions.
II. Eco-Friendly Projects
 Imus City is greatly affected by plastic pollution. Plastics and Styrofoam contribute about 13.99% of
the total waste produced by the city in 2013, making it the second most common type of waste produced
behind organic wastes. But since plastics and Styrofoam are not biodegradable, they clog up much of the
City’s rivers, which contributes to flooding, especially during rainy seasons. In response, the city has initiated
numerous cleaning programs that usually involve the initiative of the whole community. Under the mantra
“May Pera sa Basura,” Imus City aims to practice the 3Rs—Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle—of solid-waste
management work. One of the major projects of CENRO is the “Basuraffle” project, wherein people bring
plastic waste to the barangay hall in exchange for raffle tickets. A kilogram of plastic earns them one raffle
ticket, and in turn, they get the chance to win raffle prizes like cash incentives, appliances, or groceries
(Philippine News Agency, 2018). This helped reduce the number of scattered plastics in the street while
giving those who participated a chance of winning a big prize.

Basuraffle 6 Publication Material for December 2022

Furthermore, through the project, the collected plastic waste—which amounts to about 1.5 tons a month—is
brought to the Villar Foundation to be recycled into school chairs. Imus City also produces eco-bricks that
are partly composed of plastic waste, which are made in partnership with Clean Technology and the city's
eco-village. Some of the produced bricks were used as paving blocks for the repair of sidewalks in front of
the city hall, and the city plaza, in Barangay Anabu and Nueno Avenue.
 Recycled School Chairs Made from Plastic Waste
To rid the city of another major waste problem—the organic wastes coming from public markets and
household kitchens—the Imus City Government constructed a brand-new composting facility in Barangay
Malagasang 1A. The composting facility receives an average of about 6 tons of vegetable and food waste a
week, which are shredded and digested using the facility’s three bioreactors.

One of the Bioreactors in the Malagasang 1A Compost Facility

After three days, microorganisms are added to the byproducts and are dried in the open air to make the final
product (Mayuga, 2018). When using the compost facility, the process of biodegradation of organic wastes
is cut short from three months to three days. Additionally, the products are given for free as soil enhancers
for all Imus citizens to use. Like other cities, Imus also conducts regular cleanup drives to preserve the city’s
cleanliness and remove garbage from the city’s rivers. With the cooperation of the city government, CENRO,
and each barangay in the city, efficient cleaning of the surroundings is achieved.
 Imus City Cleanup Drives
These projects are done in accordance with the implemented ordinances of the city, which in essence are
derived from the existing environmental laws, like R.A 9003. Imus city is a model city not just in terms of
economic growth, but also sets a good example to other local governments in terms of cleanliness! This just
shows that the best way for a city to grow is to improve all facets of the community, which includes caring for
our environment. This is why the Flag Capital of the Philippines is going green.

REFERENCES:

City Government of Imus. (2022). Our City. City of Imus. Retrieved April 1, 2023, from
https://cityofimus.gov.ph/OurCity
Mayuga, J. L. (2018). Imus blazing the trail: Eco-friendly solutions to garbage woes.
BusinessMirror. Retrieved April 1, 2023, from https://businessmirror.com.ph/2018/12/24/imus-
blazing-the-trail-eco-friendly-solutions-to-garbage-woes/
East Asian Seas Congress. (2018). Imus blazing the trail: Eco-friendly solutions to garbage woes

| EAS Congress 2018. https://eascongress2018.pemsea.org/news-media/imus-blazing-the-

trail-eco-friendly-solutions-to-garbage-woes/

Philippine News Agency. (2018). Imus City holds ‘BasuRaffle’ vs. plastic residual waste.

LINKS:
https://cityofimus.gov.ph/full-disclosure

https://www.facebook.com/CityofImus (Image Credits)