A LAWMAKER proposed an ordinance to institutionalize the collection of used cooking oil in the city for public safety and also avoid clogging the drainage.
Councilor Temujin Ocampo, committee chair on environment and natural resources, said the current collection setup is inconsistent.
“The problem now is that the collection is not consistent. Anyone collects it, and it gets thrown anywhere,” he said during the Pulong Pulong sa Dabawenyos on Tuesday.
To note, Executive Order No. 32 issued in 2015 by then-Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte regulated the handling, transport, and recycling of used cooking oil under Republic Act No. 6969.
However, the official received reports that some collectors resell the oil after it has already been used several times.
Under Ocampo’s proposal, only collectors accredited or authorized by both national and local governments would be allowed to gather used cooking oil, which can then be recycled into biofuel for tractors and other light equipment.
The official noted that restaurant owners and representatives from a huge mall in the city have raised the same issue with him.
Fast food chains in particular generate large volumes of used oil, and some report hiring collectors from General Santos City, who charge high fees.
Ocampo suggested the city, through the City Environment and Natural Resources Office or another authorized entity, should take over collection.
Asked whether sidewalk vendors would be included, the official said the ordinance would cover all establishments.
He proposed setting up a nightly collection area at places such as the Roxas Night Market, where vendors could dump their used oil for pickup. He said dumping oil down canals is common practice, but the sludge hardens and clogs drains, contributing to flooding in Davao City.
Asked how the city would verify compliance, particularly among street vendors, Ocampo said the mechanism is still being studied.
He said large companies are easier to monitor because the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) already requires them to keep receipts and file reports on the collector, date, and volume of oil turned over.
Ambulant street food vendors, he said, will be a challenge considering their operations are not controlled due to their mobile nature.
The penalties can be up to ₱5,000 or business permit suspension, and other legally available sanctions are also being considered.
