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Criticized for allegedly prioritizing the P389 million beach nutrition project over the pollution problems plaguing Manila Bay, a Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) official has argued that the campaign to clean the bay of trash Department is not being taken lightly.
The official said that in parallel to the superposition of crushed dolomite over a 500-meter portion of Manila Bay in Manila, coastal cleaning activities and even rivers and estuaries are also being carried out in several cities and municipalities in the region of Manila Bay, which stretches from Cavite, a province south of Manila, and the Bataan Peninsula in the north.
In addition to this, DENR Undersecretary for Solid Waste Management and Local Government Units, Benny D. Antiporda, said that they intend to maintain a dialogue with concerned LGUs in the Manila Bay region to promote the ongoing cleanup and rehabilitation of Manila Bay and watch the ranks. of fish pen operators in their respective locations.
DENR is the agency in charge of leading the Manila Bay Interagency Task Force, commissioned by President Duterte to rehabilitate one of the most economically important bodies of water in the country.
The stranding of some crew ships in Manila Bay due to coronavirus disease (Covid-19) and community closures, Antiporda said, may have been factors that contributed to the recent increase in the volume of garbage arriving at the shores of the bay.
He speculated that stranded passenger ships may be behind the open water garbage dump.
“There are more than 10 passenger ships stranded there and we suspect that this is where some of the garbage came from,” Antiporda said.
Antiporda added that they also intend to speak with mayors who grant permits for fish pen operations to address environmental issues caused by farming of tilapia and bangus, especially after a strong typhoon, which generally results in the destruction of pens and fish cages.
“Every time there is a storm, the fish pens are blown away by the strong wind and waves. The bamboo poles and mesh nets are left in the ocean and add to the garbage problem in Manila Bay, ”said Antiporda.
“First we want to know what your mitigation measures are and what is your solution to the environmental problems caused by the operation of the fish pens,” said Antiporda.
Manila Bay is still a productive fishing ground and some areas are known as the most productive aquaculture center in Luzon. The aquaculture centers in Cavite, Bulacan and Bataan are known to produce bangus and tilapia, including mussels and oysters.
“We will appeal to the LGUs to tell these fish pen operators to do their part as well,” Antiporda said.
With the launch of the Battle for Manila Bay, the Secretary of the Interior and Local Government, Eduardo Ano, had asked the LGUs, including barangay units, to help clean up rivers and estuaries to promote rehabilitation in course of Manila Bay.
So far, Antiporda said that the Battle for Manila Bay is managing to reduce the volume of trash that ends up in the oceans.
