Baguio: Public event organizers using government spaces in Baguio will soon be required to submit waste management programs before they can secure permits. Ordinance No. 63-2026, known as the 'Event Waste Management Ordinance of Baguio City,' authored by Councilor Yuri Weygan, aims to enhance environmental protection, public health, and cleanliness by mandating proper waste segregation, collection, and disposal during events held in public areas such as streets, plazas, and parks.

According to Philippines News Agency, organizers of parades, festivals, trade fairs, concerts, sports events, religious gatherings, and other activities on public land must submit a comprehensive waste management scheme. This scheme should include the event layout, locations of segregated trash bins, designation of waste marshals, coordination plans with the City Environment and Parks Management Office and City General Services Office, as well as a post-event cleanup plan.

Violators of the ordinance will face penalties, including a PHP2,500 fine and a three-month suspension from applying for event permits for the first offense. The second offense will result in a PHP3,500 fine and a six-month suspension, while the third offense will lead to a PHP5,000 fine and a one-year suspension. The approved ordinance has been transmitted to Mayor Benjamin Magalong for signing and publication prior to its implementation.

Meanwhile, the city government is urging market traders and vendors to voluntarily clean the public market. This call to action follows Mayor Magalong's decision to discontinue the market's rat-catching contest, encouraging vendors to help maintain cleanliness and eliminate food sources that attract pests. Daryl Kim Longid, chief of the Public Order and Safety Division, highlighted that the contest was initially intended to motivate market vendors to maintain a clean environment, with cash incentives serving as motivation for cleanup efforts.