Philippines ships garbage back to Canada

Manila: After more than six years, containers full of trash illegally transported to the Philippines from Canada was shipped out of the country.

According to Wilma Eisma, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) chairman and administrator, a total of 69 garbage-laden containers -- 67 of which have been in Subic for the past few years, and two recently brought in from Manila-- were loaded into MV Bavaria, a Liberian-flagged container ship commissioned to transport the containers back to Canada.

"We thank President Rodrigo Duterte for his decisive action that brought about a satisfactory conclusion to this sordid chapter in our history. This is one proud moment for all Filipinos,” Eisma added.

From 2013 to 2014, a Canadian company, Chronic Inc., exported containers labelled as recyclable plastics to two importers in the Philippines. It was later discovered that they contained non-recyclable plastics, household waste and used adult diapers.
Last week, the remaining 69 containers were all gathered at Subic's New Container Terminal (NCT), where they were fumigated.

The return of the garbage is a fulfilment of the Canadian government’s commitment made last month to bring the remaining waste back.

Netizens and Filipinos from all walks of life expressed joy over the conclusion of the controversial episode that negatively affected relations between the countries.

Meanwhile, Teodoro Locsin Jr, Foreign Secretary of the Philippines, withdrew his order recalling his country's ambassador and consuls from Canada.

"To our recalled posts, get your flights back. Thanks and sorry for the trouble you went through to drive home a point," Locsin said on his official Twitter account.