DOF: Trash exported to Cagayan de Oro to be shipped back to South Korea
MANILA, Philippines — Illegally imported garbage that arrived in Cagayan de Oro City last year will be returned to South Korea after Seoul committed to shoulder the cost of shipping the trash back, the Department of Finance (DOF) said Wednesday.
Quoting a recent report of Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo B. Guerrero to Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III, DOF said a total of 5,176 metric tons of waste materials currently stored within Phividec Industrial Authority premises in Misamis Oriental province entered the country in July and October 2018.
Guerrero said the plastic synthetic flakes were “unlawfully imported” by the Cebu-based Verde Soko Philippines Industrial Corp.
“An order of forfeiture and order of re-exportation were issued by the Port of Cagayan de Oro against these waste materials, which arrived here in bulk and containerized shipments,” Guerrero said.
As the trash came from South Korea, Guerrero said its government already “expressed its commitment in collaborating with the Philippine government to execute the repatriation of these materials should Verde Soko fail to follow the notice of repatriation order which it issued, and its willingness to shoulder the shipping cost without the arrastre and demurrage charges.”
In fact, a separate shipment of waste material in 51 x 40 container vans were returned to South Korea in January through cargo vessel MV Kalireo, according to Guerrero.
“The remaining 5,176.9 metric tons of waste materials still stored at the Verde Soko compound within the Phividec Industrial Authority premises in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental will soon be balled and compacted to prepare them for shipment back to South Korea,” he said.
“The Port of Cagayan de Oro’s district collector informed that Phividec has already applied for power supply with the Cagayan de Oro Electric Power Light Co. (Ceralco) in order that the balling and compacting machine, which are already in place, can be used in the compacting and bagging of the waste materials prior to their shipment to South Korea,” he added.
