69 garbage-laden containers repatriated to Canada
After six years, containers of garbage from Canada loaded in a Liberian-flagged container ship left Subic Bay Freeport, Zambales early Friday morning and are bound for Vancouver, an official said.
Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Chairman and Administrator Wilma Eisma said MV Bavaria departed the port at 7:27am.
"Finally, the containers of garbage transported from Canada and stored at the Subic Bay Freeport for several years have been pulled out as of today, May 31, 2019," she said in a statement.
A total of 69 containers of garbage ? 67 of which were stored in Subic since 2013, and two were brought in from Manila ? were loaded onto MV Bavaria, commissioned to ship the tons of trash back to Vancouver.
"The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority documented the whole procedure ? from the docking of the ship at Subic’s New Container Terminal-1 in the afternoon of May 30, to the loading of all the 69 containers last night, and up to the departure of the vessel from Subic Bay early this morning," Eisma said.
She said SBMA thanks President Rodrigo Duterte for "his decisive action that brought about a satisfactory conclusion to this sordid chapter in our history."
Due to the garbage issue, bilateral relations between the Philippines and Canada diminished.
Manila pulled out its diplomats, led by its ambassador, when Canada failed to repatriate the garbage on May 15.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo has expressed hope with the withdrawal of trash, the ties between the two countries would return to normal. Celerina Monte/DMS
