Briones: Regional cleanup

DURING the Ocean 18 Summit last Friday, Nov. 9, Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat issued a warning. Establishments that do not follow environmental laws and ordinances will be shut down.

She said the agency has started evaluating the condition of popular tourist destinations in the region, such as Mactan in Cebu and Panglao in Bohol.

“We are not saying we will close it (Mactan), but what we will do is we will close those establishments that do not follow the law,” Puyat said.

Obviously, the agency cannot monitor each and every establishment in Central Visayas that was why she also called on local government units (LGUs) to do their part and implement environmental laws.

Apparently, many LGUs have been remiss in their duties.

I mean, how else would they explain the 394 business firms and 337 beach resorts that have been caught violating the Clean Water Act for not having a wastewater treatment facility? So some of them may have one, but it’s not adequate to meet the water quality and general effluent standards set by Department Administrative Order (DAO) 2016-08.

If you add up the numbers, that’s 731 violators. Heck, that’s a lot.

So what’s the big deal, you ask? What’s so important about having a wastewater treatment facility?

Wastewater, according to Wikipedia, is any water “that has been affected by human use.” That’s water you use to wash your hands with, your body with, your clothes with and so on. It’s “used water from any combination of domestic, industrial, commercial or agricultural activities, surface runoff or stormwater, and any sewer inflow or sewer infiltration.”

Now, you don’t want that contaminating your water and food sources, right?

After all, where do you think all that water you use every day go? Yes, down the drain, but after that it enters the drainage system and then it flows out either to a river or to the ocean.

EMB 7 Director William Cunado said they’re not very particular about what kind of wastewater treatment facility an establishment implements as long as the wastewater meets the agency’s water quality standards.

Those business firms and beach resorts that have received EMB’s notice of violation or the directive to comply have 90 days to build one or improve on an existing facility.

“This has been the standard operating procedure of our office as a manifestation of due process,” he said. But what he did not say was what would happen to those who do not comply?

At least, DOT Secretary Puyat did not mince words.

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