Measures to protect Pampanga River urged

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – Provincial Board Member Nestor Tolentino during a recent session filed and gained approval for a resolution calling for local government units to create legislative measures that will protect the Pampanga River.

The resolution enjoins all municipalities to come up with legislative measures with penalties and sanctions that shall provide protection for Pampanga River and other waterways and tributaries within the province.

“It is actually a mother resolution aimed to localize legislation at their level. The Pampanga River and much of our waterways have been subject to continuous dumping of waste and pollution which has resulted to such incidents as fish kill,” said Tolentino, who chairs the Provincial Board's committee on environment.

The lawmaker noted that Pampanga was in the lead of such legislation, especially with recent massive fish kill in Dagupan and Taal where tons of milkfish and other aquatic life have been wasted because of the "lack of teeth" in imposing sanctions and proper rules to protect water bodies and the environment as a whole.

"The urgency to come with measures has been increasing. It’s time we move together," he said.