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Sunday, January 05, 2003
Micame: Gov’t not ready to implement Clean Air Act
By Rel P. Micame
IMPLEMENTATION. Is the government ready and prepared to implement the Clean Air Act? I don’t think we are ready and prepared to ground all our buses, jeepneys, tricycles and other forms of public transportation which feed on diesel fuel and gasoline. I, likewise, don’t think we are prepared to shut down our smoke-belching public utility firms like the National Power Corp. and other power companies, as well as factories and processing plants. Can our government provide jobs to employees of manufacturing plants that will cease operations rather than modernize their machineries and equipment to eliminate smoke-belching? Many businessmen will just shut down their operations and move to other Asian countries such as China, Vietnam or any other country where the environmental laws are more liberal.
I don’t know how the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) can implement the Clean Air Act.
INSINCERE. I even doubt the sincerity of our government in enforcing the Clean Air Law. Why is the government still allowing the importation of surplus heavy equipment like bulldozers, graders, dumptrucks, used cars and other vehicles? Are our officials not aware that these machines which feed on diesel fuel are smoke-belchers?
We cannot deny the fact that our country derives sizable revenues from the importation of these surplus machines. It’s a fact that we survive on the surplus economy. Filipinos buy surplus vehicles and “ukay-ukay” because they are cheap.
I’m sure DENR implementors will find resistance from our local government units. In Cebu, many local government units like the cities of Cebu, Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue, Consolacion and Talisay, and the municipalities of Minglanilla and Naga depend on the industries for their revenues.
Do you think Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, Mayor Thadeo Ouano of Mandaue City, Mayor Arturo Radaza of Lapu-Lapu City and the chief executives of LGUs in Metro Cebu will cooperate with the DENR in strictly enforcing the provisions of the Clean Air Act? No, sir.
Because by so doing, they will not only be sending thousands of Cebuanos to the hordes of the unemployed but also contribute to the collapse of the economy.
DON’T ABUSE. Industries in Mandaue, however, should never entertain the idea that because city officials won’t wholeheartedly support the implementation of the law, they will just abandon the putting up of anti-pollution devices in their factories. Many manufacturing or processing plants along or near the Butuanon River have not put up their wastewater treatment facilities. Have these processing plants already improved their anti-pollution devices to restore life in the biologically-dead Butuanon River? I hope so.
How about that fiberglass factory situated among residential houses on Jayme St. in Canduman? Has the factory improved its anti–pollution devices? Last year, a resident complained that the factory emits fiberglass dusts and odor. Last year, I urged the fiberglass plant to move to an industrial area away from residential houses if it can’t improve its anti-pollution devices. Has City Hall looked into the complaint of residents against the factory?
COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE. Can our country’s law on land title registrations be amended or modified just by a mere administrative order issued by a government agency undersecretary? I am asking this question in view of the announcement of Isabelo Montejo, DENR 7 assistant director for technical services, that “titles issued after 1999 in islands whose land area is less than 500 hectares” are illegal, pursuant to an order issued by then DENR secretary Antonio Cerilles. Montejo mentioned that among the islands affected are Mactan and Cordova.
However, according to Montejo, titles to lots within islands whose land area is less than 500 hectares can be issued if such island has a framework plan approved by the DENR secretary. Mactan has already a physical framework plan but it has not been approved.
Did Montejo ask for clearance from his boss, the DENR 7 executive director or from the Lands Management Service 7 technical director before issuing the announcement?
Montejo’s announcement, if it has an effect of a law banning the
Lapu-Lapu Registry of Deeds from issuing titles after 1999, is counter-productive. Businessmen who have bought lands in Mactan after 1999 won’t be able to get titles for their lots. Businessmen need the titles when they apply for loans in the bank to finance development projects. But, I believe that Montejo’s announcement has no legal effects on the Registry of Deeds.
SCRIPTURE READING. Suggested reading of the Holy Bible for today is found in the Gospel according to St. Matthew 2:1-12 “Visitors from the East,” Ephesians 3:2-6 “God’s Secret Plan;” Jan.6—St. Matthew 4:12-17, 23 –25 “Jesus Begins His Work in Galilee,” and for Jan. 7—St. Mark 6:34-44 “Jesus Feeds the Multitude.”
(Address your comments or reaction through relmicame@yahoo.com)
(January 5, 2003 issue)
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