Environment Secretary Roy A. Cimatu said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will go for an across the board crackdown on erring establishments as part of the massive effort to rehabilitate the heavily polluted Manila Bay.
“No establishment that is polluting Manila Bay will be spared from the crackdown,” Cimatu said. “We will make sure all establishments will go through inspection and the violators will have to pay the price for polluting the environment.”
The environment chief issued the statement after the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA), an attached agency of the DENR, shut down four more establishments found dumping untreated wastewater into the Manila Bay.
The LLDA issued cease and desist orders (CDOs) against Billion Building, HK Sun Plaza, Tramway Bayview Buffet Restaurant in Pasay City and D Circle Hotel in Manila.
It also issued additional 13 notices of violation (NOVs) and four ex-parte orders , just a few days after the kickoff of the Manila Bay rehabilitation last January 27.
Earlier, the LLDA issued CDOs against three restaurants—Aristocrat, Gloria Maris, Esplanade and E Universe Entertainment and KTV Bar —found discharging pollutive water into Manila Bay and have no proper wastewater facility.
Improper wastewater disposal is a violation of Republic Act 9275 or the Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004 and could be a ground for closure of the establishment and its wastewater facilities.
Cimatu warned that more establishments face possible closure for polluting Manila Bay.
“This is just the initial salvo as inspection of establishments for their compliance goes full swing not only here in Metro Manila, but also in the provinces that affect the water quality of Manila Bay,” Cimatu said.
The Environmental Management Bureau of DENR served notices of violations to 265 establishments in the National Capital, 21 cease and desist orders in Region 3, and 45 NOVs in Region 4A. Violations include non-compliance with RA 9275, RA 8749 or the Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999, and RA 6969 or the Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act.
There were also businesses operating with no Environmental Compliance Certificates in violation of Presidential Decree 1586 or the Environmental Impact Statement System. ###
