MANILA, Philippines — The remaining containers of garbage from Canada will soon sail back to the North American country, Malacañang said Tuesday.
Hundreds of containers of waste were illegally dumped in the Philippines between 2013 and 2014. At least 69 containers are still in the country.
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Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said a private shipping company will take the trash back to Canada.
"The [Department of Foreign Affairs] issued a statement that the Canadian government has already directed a shipping company to get the trash back and, according to them, it will be sooner than later," Panelo said in a press briefing.
Last week, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. recalled Philippine diplomats after Canada missed the deadline to take back the containers of trash.
"At midnight last night, letters for the recall of our ambassador and consuls to Canada went out. They are expected here in a day or so. Canada missed the May 15 deadline," Locsin tweeted on May 15.
The Philippines' top diplomat said the country will maintain a diminished diplomatic presence in Canada until the garbage issue is resolved.
"When the president speaks as he did to the extent of 'declaring war on Canada' for its garbage here, he is to be taken seriously and not metaphorically; at least I do because I do not think I know better than he does. Some of his officials do," Locsin said in a separate tweet. — Patricia Lourdes Viray