LITTERBUGS. Piles of garbage are seen dumped outside trash bins at the Baguio City night market in this undated photo. Mayor Benjamin Magalong said the city will be compelled to enforce drastic measures if visitors would continue to ignore their call against littering. (Photo courtesy of PIO-Baguio Facebook page)
BAGUIO CITY – The city government urged anew visitors to observe cleanliness and practice proper waste disposal including at the city's night market area.
"We have already provided garbage bins. All they had to do was dump their litter in those cans and they can't even do just that? How irresponsible," Mayor Benjamin Magalong said on the sidelines of the launch of the Panagbenga Festival 2023 on Monday.
Magalong's remarks came after photos shared by the city's Public Order and Safety Division (POSD) showed garbage scattered around an empty trash bin at the city's night market.
Littering has been identified as a serious concern at the site of the city's night market, prompting the local government to provide several bins in strategic areas to encourage proper waste disposal.
Magalong said the city will be compelled to enforce drastic measures if visitors would continue to ignore their call against littering.
Earlier, tourist marshals from the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO), POSD, and even barangay officials in tourist destinations and areas of public convergence have been deployed to help maintain cleanliness and order and prevent vandalism.
Engr. Aloysius Mapalo, City Tourism Officer, in an earlier interview said the marshals are intended to help boost the responsible tourist campaign of the Department of Tourism (DOT).
"The marshals will help constantly remind the public to follow city ordinances, proper garbage disposal, not to pick flowers and plants, and not to destroy any decoration. Inculcating the idea of responsible tourists will make travel destinations enjoyable for all visitors," he added. (PNA)
