LAOAG CITY (PIA) – The City Government of Laoag is implementing the strict compliance of street vendors to the proper segregation of plastic, biodegradable, and non-biodegradable waste.
 
This is following the opening of the Laoag City Sanitary Landfill in Barangay Balatong which only takes in residual or non-compostable waste from the city.
 
Antonnete Bareng, officer-in-charge of the Business Permits and Licensing Office (BPLO) of the city, said that due to the increasing number of street vendors in the eastern part of the Provincial Capitol building, they have initiated increased information dissemination on proper waste segregation and disposal.
 
“Due to the increased number of street peddlers or vendors, the local government took a chance for the vendors to be informed and to remind them of the proper segregation of their waste,” she said.

City Environment and Natural Resources Officer, Mylene Pascual conducted the lecture on waste segregation, the proper use of waste containers, and instructions on how to maintain a clean and organized environment for their stalls.
 
A street vendor, Marife Costales, assured that they maintain cleanliness in their designated areas, as well as keep their waste away from the canals to avoid clogging.
 
“Sinusunod po namin ‘yong waste segregation, minsan may mga customers kami na hindi sumusunod, kaya pinagsasabihan namin sila. May mga nakalagay kaming mga sapat na garbage bags sa tabi ng aming cart para masunod ang tamang pagtatapon ng basura,” Costales said.
 
Another street vendor, Jesly Agresor, said that he is practicing proper waste segregation and avoids too much usage of single-use plastic by using paper bags to sell his food products.
 
 The city government of Laoag is implementing a “No Waste Segregation, No Collection” policy in the city. (JCR/AMB/EJFG/GPD, PIA Ilocos Norte)