DENR-7: Dirt in Mahiga Creek Coming from Dwellers

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)7 last week said that majority of dirt dumped in Mahiga creek are mostly coming from the households surrounding the said place.

DENR-7 Information Officer Dr. Ed Llamedo said in response to some queries pointing that major business establishments and factories are the ones contributing the bulk of garbage found in the Mahiga river banks.

Llamedo explained that Presidential Decree 1067 outrightly describes that 60-70 per cent of the garbage found at the Mahiga river are coming from the private households living at the river side.

Llamedo said that private establishments including factories and other business related buildings surrounding Mahiga have their respective garbage collection system and water treatment facilities which are periodically inspected by the DENR personnel.

“So we believed that garbage found dump in the river are from private households because the government lacks enough facilities to monitor their daily activities unlike business establishments whose garbage and water facilities are periodically inspected, thereby any faults they may have can easily be corrected right away,” Llamedo said.

According to Llamedo, these are some of the pre-requisites before a business establishment is allowed to operate near the Mahiga river.

Llamedo’s statement was triggered by a complaint made by a Mahiga resident charging private establishments as the ones responsible for the bulk of garbage found in the river.

According to Llamedo, it is the local government unit (LGU) who has the right to implement policies in accordance with national laws through disciplinary actions against the violators.

He said the LGU has the legal right to implement fines or if possible, to arrest any law violators.

Mahiga creek serves as a border between the cities of Cebu and Mandaue thereby each of their government heads has to implement strictly the laws to bring the Mahiga river back to its previous status.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama has implemented the three-meter easement from the river’s lips, a distance from where a private dwelling or business establishment is allowed to build.

This means that all households situated within the three meter easement will automatically be demolished.

While Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes has totally cleaned all residential houses built along the Mahiga river.

“This is to show that each LGU officer has the right to implement the laws within their respective jurisdictions,” Llamedo added.

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