The tons of Canadian garbage shipped to the Philippines from several years ago is all set to be shipped back to its country of origin this week, according to Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro “Teddy Boy” Locsin, Jr. on Monday, May 27.
“All containers containing garbage cleaned and ready to go. Waiting for a couple of documents and routine permission from China for transshipment to Canada,” Locsin said in a tweet.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) chief said the trash will leave the country on May 30, Thursday, and if “anybody gets in the way one way or another,” he said, “I will screw you dry. Don’t provoke me.”
A May 22 news release from the Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) earlier said the Canadian Government awarded a contract to Bolloré Logistics Canada to “bring the waste back promptly and to ensure its safe and environmentally sound disposal,” according to Minister of Environment and Climate Change Catherine Mckenna.
The company’s preparation for the re-shipment of the garbage, the statement read, will begin “in the coming days” and that the removal will be “complete by the end of June.”
But Malacañang did not agree with Canada’s timetable.
“Hindi papayag si Presidente doon (The President won’t allow that),” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said, adding, “Hindi natin alam kung ano iyong soonest (We do not know when is the soonest) – could be this week or a week after. Definitely hindi (not by) the end of June.”
“Ayaw natin iyon. Ang tagal-tagal na masyado (We do not want that. It is too late),” he further said.
President Rodrigo Duterte gave Canada until May 15 to ship out its garbage from the Philippines. The North American country, however, failed to meet the deadline, prompting the Philippine government to recall its ambassador and consuls to Canada.