Open dumpsites and water pollution are destroying the country’s ecological integrity and endangering the health of communities.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) reiterated the warning and tasked local government units (LGUs) to regulate wastewater discharges and prohibit the release of untreated sewage into rivers, lakes and coastal waters.
The Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the DENR issued a nationwide directive urging all LGUs to strictly comply with the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 (RA 9003) and the Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004 (RA 9275).
“The health of our communities and the integrity of our water bodies depend on the decisive action of our local leaders. We are moving beyond cooperation. We are enforcing the law,” said DENR Assistant Secretary and concurrent EMB Director Jacqueline A. Caancan.
The bureau stressed that adherence to the environmental laws was mandatory, urgent and non-negotiable.
It warned that continued non-compliance, including the operation of open dumpsites, failure to implement waste segregation and illegal discharge of untreated sewage, would result in immediate legal action.
Sanctions may include Notices of Violation (NOVs), Cease and Desist Orders (CDOs) and the filing of administrative or criminal charges against responsible local officials.
Under RA 9275, LGUs are required to formulate and enforce local ordinances regulating wastewater discharges, develop and implement comprehensive septage and sewerage management programs, and integrate water quality objectives into their local development and investment plans.
The EMB ordered all LGUs to immediately carry out their twin mandates to strictly enforce source segregation and separate collection, and establish fully operational Materials Recovery Facilities (MRF) in all barangays.
Residual waste should be disposed of only in accredited accredited Sanitary Landfills (SLFs), and open dumping and burning are strictly prohibited.
“Any LGU that allows open dumpsites, neglects mandatory segregation, or permits the direct discharge of sewage into our rivers is in clear violation of national law and will be held fully accountable,” said Caancan. DENR News
The EMB directed all LGUs to immediately fulfill their mandate under RA 9003 by implementing strict source segregation and separate collection of waste.
They should also establish fully operational MRFs in every barangay, ensuring that residual waste is disposed of only in SLFs, and enforce the prohibition on open dumping and open burning.
Under RA 9275, LGUs are required to develop and implement comprehensive septage and sewerage management programs, and integrate water quality objectives into their local development and investment plans.
The bureau stressed that failure to comply with their obligations, including the preparation, submission and approval of 10-Year Solid Waste Management Plans, would constitute grounds for sanctions and penalties under existing laws. DENR News
