PINAIIMBESTIGAHAN ni Senadora Cynthia Villar sa Senado ang waste water treatment at sewerage system sa Metro Manila na pangunahing dahilan sa patuloy na pagsama ng kalidad ng tubig sa Manila Bay.
“We still have a long way to go in reviving Manila Bay back to its pristine condition. Sadly, despite our efforts to clean up, water quality in the bay continues to worsen because of poor solid waste management and the lack of facilities for proper waste water disposal,” ani Villar.
Inihain ni Villar, chairperson ng Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, ang panukalang Senate Resolution No. 747 sa pagbusisi sa kondisyon ng waste water treatment sa Metro Manila.
Sa Senate hearing kung saan binalangkas ang mga hakbang at estratehiya ng 13 government agencies na inatasan ng Supreme Court na manguna sa paglilinis sa Manila Bay, tinawag ni environmental lawyer Antonio Oposa ang Manila Bay na ‘toilet bowl’ na araw- araw na ginagamit pero hindi naipa-flush.
Binanggit din ng senadora ang informal settlers sa Port of Manila na walang mga kubeta. Aniya, ito rin ang dahilan kung bakit, kaakibat ang Department of Health, (DOH), sinimulan niya ang pagbibigay ng kubeta sa Baseco kung saan may 5,000 pamilya.
“Despite the mandate given to MWSS way back in 1971 and the responsibilities given to its concessionaires more than 20 years ago, Metro Manila is still far from having adequate sewerage facilities, which is an indication that there is a failure of implementation and enforcement of the laws with respect to the provision of adequate sanitation, drainage and sewerage facilities even in Metro Manila; and this amounts to a violation of the “right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology” as the people’s health continues to be in peril,” nakapaloob sa resolusyon ni Villar.
Sa naturang resolusyon, binigyan diin ng senadora ang ‘statutes’ na inaatasan ang national at local government agencies, instrumentalities at private entities na pangalagaan ang kapaligiran kabilang ang pangangasiwa sa waste water.
Noon pang 1970s, itinakda na sa Presidential Decree No. 1152 o Philippine Environmental Code na dapat pangasiwaan ng government agencies waste water sa paligid.
Sa ilalim din ng PD No. 856 o Code on Sanitation of the Philippines in 1975, dapat tiyakin ng DOH na may sapat na sewerage systems sa private at public establishments.
Base naman sa Republic Act 7160 o Local Government Code of 1991, responsibilidad ng lahat ng munisipalidad, siyudad at lalawigan ang pagbibigay ng drainage at sewerage facilities sa kanilang nasasakupan.
Inaatasan naman ng RA 9275 o Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004 ang Department of Environment and Natural Resources bilang lead agency na mamamahala sa lahat ng aspeto ng water quality management.
Ipinag-uutos din ng batas sa Department of Public Works and Highways na gumawa ng National Sewerage and Septage Management Program.
“Section 8 of RA 9275 provides that the agency vested to provide water supply and sewerage facilities and/or concessionaires in Metro Manila and other highly urbanized cities to connect the existing sewage line found in all subdivisions, condominiums, commercial centers, hotels, sports and recreational facilities, hospitals, market places, public buildings, industrial complex and other similar establishments including households to available sewerage system,” ayon sa nilalaman ng Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004.
Sinabi ng MWSS chief regulator na ang kakulangan sa sewerage facilities sa Metro Manila ay sampung beses na mas grabe kaysa Boracay dahil ang Maynila ay mayroon lamang 14 porsiyento ng kinakailangan nitong sewerage treatment plants na nag-aalis sa contaminants sa waste water bago itapon sa mga katubigan. VICKY CERVALES
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