REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

BATANGAS CITY
OFFICE OF THE SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD

ORDINANCE NO. ___ S. 2020

AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING GUIDELINES FOR THE HANDLING AND DISPOSAL
OF SPECIAL WASTES IN BATANGAS CITY, PROVIDING PENALTIES FOR
VIOLATION THEREOF AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

WHEREAS, the 1987 Philippine Constitution declares as policy of the State the
protection and promotion of the right of people to health and instill health
consciousness among them;
WHEREAS, the General Welfare Clause of the Local Government Code of 1991
authorizes the local government unit to enact ordinances promoting health and
safety of its people;
WHEREAS, Republic Act 9003 also known as the Ecological Solid Waste
Management Act of 2000 mandates the adoption of a systematic, comprehensive
and ecological solid waste management program to ensure the protection of public
health and environment;
WHEREAS, the DOH Health Care Waste Management Manual states that in these
times of heightened environment consciousness, addressing the issue of proper
health care waste disposal is of paramount concern not only for environmentalist or
other members of the health sector but for the whole society as well, as it concerns
adverse health effects to all individuals exposed to hazardous and infectious health
care waste and that exposure potentially puts an individual at risk including those
who handle such wastes or are exposed to it as a consequence of careless
management;
WHEREAS, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources -
Environmental Management Bureau Region IV-A (DENR-EMB4A) Memorandum
Circular No. 2020-14 is enjoining everyone to observe proper waste segregation in
their homes as proper handling and disposal of special wastes protects the public
from the potential risk of exposure to COVID-19; further, that pursuant to the need
for the continuity of operations in the field of public health safety, provisions of
temporary protocol for the unhampered transportation of hazardous wastes during
Enhanced Community Quarantine is vital;
WHEREAS, it is necessary to implement proper handling and disposal of special
and infectious household generated wastes in Batangas City.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the Sangguniang Panlungsod in
session assembled:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. - This Ordinance shall be known as the ‘Special
Household Wastes Handling and Disposal Ordinance of Batangas City.
SECTION 2. DEFINITION OF TERMS. Whenever used in this Ordinance,
terms shall be defined as follows:
a. Disposal shall refer to the discharge, deposit, dumping, spilling, leaking
or placing of any solid waste into or in any piece of land of whatever
kind and nature.
b. Handling shall refer to the preparation of wastes to be disposed of in
household level before the collection by the waste collector
 c. Home treatment health care wastes shall refer to wastes containing
pathogens such as but not limited to bacteria, parasites, viruses, and
fungi from infected patients or from persons who have been in contact
with infected patients. Such wastes shall include gauze, cotton bandage,
cotton applicators soaked with blood or body fluids from dressing of
infected wounds, used gloves, used foley catheters, used plastic
wares/disposables of infected patient, used tubings of IV, nebulizers,
oxygen, used urine bags, used suction tubes, and others of similar
nature;
d. Infectious wastes shall refer to wastes containing pathogens such as but
not limited to bacteria, parasites, viruses, and fungi from infected
patients or persons who have been in contact with infected patients.
Such wastes shall include used facemasks, diaper, sanitary napkins
and others of similar nature;
e. TSD Facility shall refer to Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facility
handling the transport and disposal of special household wastes as
accredited by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
SECTION 4. PROPER HANDLING AND DISPOSAL PROCEDURE. - As a
precautionary measure against the spread of COVID-19 infection and other
contagious diseases, households and registered transporters shall observe the
following procedure in handling and disposal of household special wastes:
1. Prior to collection, generated special wastes in households and barangay
health clinic/facilities shall be disinfected to reduce the risk of contaminating
garbage collectors and transporters, and the people at large;
2. Facemasks, gloves, hygiene tissues, and disposable utensils, used by a
household member classified as Suspected, Probable, or Confirmed COVID-19 case
shall be considered as hazardous and infectious pathologic wastes and shall be
segregated into a separate bin or bag, and subjected to disinfection treatment prior
to disposal and collection by the TSD Facility personnel;
3. Used facemasks and gloves from households without Suspected, Probable
or Confirmed COVID-19 cases shall also be treated as infectious wastes, stored
separately and collected by domestic garbage collectors complying with sanitation
and safety protocols, and shall be disposed of according to their sanitary landfill
categorization;
4. Proper segregation of special household waste shall be ensured by using
appropriate containers, receptacles, bins, or other similar improvised containment
units appropriate for special wastes and properly and safely stationing them in the
garbage pickup points for collection;
5. Household special wastes shall be hauled, transported to and treated in
the Treatment, Storage, Disposal (TSD) Facility of the City prior to disposal to the
City’s sanitary landfill facility;
6. The hauler’s garbage trucks shall be provided with disinfecting agents in
the appropriate concentration recommended by the Department of Health.
Personnel operating garbage trucks, and handling and hauling garbage shall wear
complete personal protective equipment such as gloves, face masks/shields, cover-
alls, and other appropriate physical protection gears, and shall be properly apprised
of decontamination protocol.
 7. Prior to loading of garbage collected from households to the garbage
truck, garbage shall be disinfected again to ensure that all surfaces of the bags were
covered.
8. At the garbage disposal area or sanitary landfill, the wastes shall be
disinfected once more to ensure that COVID-19 virus or other possible stocks of
infectious bacteria, parasites, viruses, and fungi are eradicated.
SECTION 5. PROHIBITED ACTS. – The following are prohibited under this
Ordinance:
1. Throwing, scattering, or otherwise disposing household special wastes in a
manner contrary to the guidelines provided for its handling and disposal povided in
this Ordinance;
2. Mixing special wastes with other classification of wastes thus exposing
handlers and haulers, and the public, to the risk of infection or contamination;
3. Failure or refusal to observe the proper procedute of disposing special
household wastes, including, but not limited to the segregation, disinfecting, hauling,
and disposal in the sanitary landfill facility;
4. Failure or refusal to wear appropriate personal protective equipment in
the handling and hauling of special wastes;
5. Other acts or omission analogous to the foregoing.
SECTION 6. PENALTIES. – Violation of this Ordinance shall be imposed the
following penalties:
a. First Offense. – The offender shall be reprimanded and warned that a
repeat violation shall be meted with a more severe penalty.
b. Second Offense. – The offender shall be required to render community
service for a period of three (3) hours within the day he committed the violation,
provided that if the rendering of such community service is not practicable on the
day of the commission of the violation, the penalty shall be served in the following
day;
c. Third and Succeeding Offense. – The offender shall suffer the penalty of
imprisonment of not more than six (6) months or pay a fine of not more than Five
Thousand Pesos (P5,000.00) or both in the discretion of the Court;
SECTION 9. SEPARABILITY CLAUSE. – Should for any reason, any part or
provision of this Ordinance is declared invalid or unconstitutional, any part or
provision not affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 10. REPEALING CLAUSE. – All ordinances, rules and regulations
inconsistent with the provisions of this Ordinance are hereby repealed or amended
accordingly.
SECTION 11. EFFECTIVITY. – This Ordinance shall take effect after completion
of posting thereof in conspicuous places in Batangas City.

ENACTED by the Sangguniang Panlungsod this ___th day of May, 2020.

 ATTY. OLIVA D. TELEGATOS
Secretary
Sangguniang Panlungsod

ATTESTED:

EMILIO FRANCISCO A. BERBERABLE, JR.

Presiding Officer

APPROVED:

BEVERLEY ROSE A. DIMACUHA

City Mayor