Jollibee, Mcdo fined in anti-plastic town

STO. TOMAS, BATANGAS—Establishments big and small are not spared from a recently enacted ordinance here banning plastic bags, cups and Styrofoam.

Not even rival fastfood chains McDonald’s and Jollibee: These firms’ branches here learned the hard way twice over, in the form of fines and citation tickets.

As the wave of anti-plastic ordinances continues here in Batangas province, the municipal government here just finished the first month of implementing Municipal Ordinance no. 2011-05 that prohibits the use of plastic on dry goods, regulating plastic use on wet goods, and prohibiting Styrofoam.

And the two fastfood chains, just within the month of June, were already issued citation tickets twice and had pad fines worth P1,000 (first offense) and P1,500 (second offense) for allegedly using plastic as lid for paper cups on take-out orders.

If the third offense comes both establishments’ way, their business permits are at risk of being cancelled.

Convenience store 7-ELEVEN was also fined a P1,000 for a first offense.

Jollibee-Sto. Tomas branch manager Eric de la Cruz admitted that Jollibee, on June 1 and 6, used plastic as lid for their paper cup. He, however, explained that Jollibee had no intention of disregarding the ordinance; that time, there were no existing supplies of paper lids, de la Cruz claimed.

“It’s really unfair because we had no supplies of paper lid even in Los Baños and Calamba. Prior to the implementation (of the ordinance), we could have ordered paper lids. But even if we order, the supplier does not have the existing equipment to produce it,” De la Cruz told The Filipino Connection.

The situation had forced Jollibee’s officials from Manila to have a dialogue with Sto. Tomas Mayor Renato Federico. Afterwards, the mayor later agreed to relax a provision of the ordinance and allow Jollibee to use plastic cups as containers for gravy and ketchup, plastic spoon and fork, as well as plastic as lid for beverages for take out orders.

Jollibee-Sto. Tomas “have already complied 100 percent” to the ordinance, de la Cruz claims. Jollibee here now uses paper bags as containers for food. Jollibee also no gives out straws, although de La Cruz said they continue to receive complaints from customers who order the Jollibee coke float since Jollibee only offers a plastic spoon, not a straw.

This McDonalds Sto. Tomas branch, which only opened last March, was also fined twice for violating the anti-plastic ordinance

Meanwhile, McDonald’s-Sto. Tomas branch manager Daryl Bonifacio refused to answer questions surrounding the establishment’s compliance with the municipal ordinance.

Municipal ordinance No. 2011 -05 also bans the selling and providing of: plastic bags to consumers as secondary packaging materials on wet goods; plastic bags as primary packaging material for dry goods; and styrofoam as container. Disposing plastic wastes are also prohibited by the ordinance.

Individuals and business establishments who violate the law could face fine penalties of P1000 and/ or two hour community service and one hour seminar on proper solid waste management; P5,000 fine and/or four-hour community service and one hour seminar on proper solid waste management; and P2,500 fine and / or eight hours .

Depending on the court’s discretion a violator of the ordinance could also be imprisoned for six months and a one-year cancellation of business license.

What makes the ordinance different from other towns and cities in Batangas though, was that Sto. Tomas municipal government also banned individuals and business establishments from selling and using plastic cups and straws.

At least 21 days since the ordinance was enforced on the town’s 30 barangays, the municipality had already apprehended 74 violators, which range from push-cart vendors, small-scale entrepreneurs, ordinary citizens to bigtime business establishments.

Sto. Tomas Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Officer Eric Velasco said the big number of plastic violators caught shows that the municipal government is serious enough in implementing the ordinance, which was meant to resolve the town’s garbage woes and curb flooding in the area.

“We do not give special treatment to anyone, rich or poor. We just implement the law,” Velasco told The Filipino Connection in a separate interview.

The municipal government already made 2011 as a year-long moratorium period for people and institutions to prepare for the eventual implementation of the ordinance.

Within the said period, the MENRO also conducted massive information campaign against the use of plastics and their possible alternatives in the town’s 30 barangays.

As a result of the plastic ban, which included plastic cups, palamig vendors like James Ventura were forced to use paper cups, which cost P1 per piece compared to plastic cups, which costs only P15 for 100 pieces. The price of Ventura’s palamig shot up from P5 to P6.

Not surprisingly, James said their income from palamig and barbeque grill has gone down from P1,500 to P1,000 daily since the plastic ban was enforced at the start of June. There were also times that they have lost customers as they can no longer issue plastics and  straw as containers for their palamig and softdrinks.

“While the intention may be good, it’s been difficult for us to adjust as we’ve already been used to plastics (as containers). It’s hard not to use plastics especially for liquids. But we have no choice but to follow or we will be fined,” Ventura said.

But despite the so-called “inconvenience” caused by the plastic ordinance and potential loss of income, the 28-year-old vendor admits though the ordinance had effectively reduced garbage on the streets.

“A lot has changed. Before you can see litters of plastics here but then right now there are only a few.”