Tag: Asia

Philippines’ Trash Back-to-Canada Movement continues

The Philippines’ dispute with Canada unfolds as miscategorized containers of garbage docked on Luzon’s ports of Manila and north west of the capital in Subic are finding its way back to its rightful owner – Canada.

According to a recent BBC report, Canada’s government has agreed to foot the bill in the return of approximately 69 containers that have remained a stinking eyesore, under humid year-round tropical conditions since 2014. After officials extensive exchanged dialogue, the displaced refuse that once found “refuge” in the Philippines is en route to Vancouver and other ports in Western Canada.

“Baaaaaaaaa bye, as we say it,” Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teddy Locsin Jr. tweeted of the “Back-to-Canada” exodus on Twitter. Its final destination will be a waste-to-energy facility in Vancouver.

The Philippines takes back Canada’s trash

According to this NPR (National Public Radio) article, posted Saturday, Philippine officials made demands to the Canadian government to stop shipping waste deemed nonrecyclable to Filipino ports amid growing concerns from other Asian countries also disgruntled about western countries utilizing land and ports as dump sites.

The Philippine’s outspoken president Rodrigo Duterte boldly stated he would personally ship the containers, some of which that have remained stagnant on Filipino ports for multiple years, back to Canada himself. If the situation does not improve, Duterte threatens to wage war against America’s friendly neighbors north of the border.

Meanwhile, Canadian officials remain equivocal on the displaced containers. ” Our prime minister committed and has recommitted to resolving this issue, including taking the waste back to Canada,” Canada’s Ambassador to the Philippines says of Justin Trudeau’s past responses to the issue which said to be in violation of the international Basel Conventional according to an environmental law firm based in Canada.

The following is a CTV report: