Talisay to issue cease and desist order against packaging firm

TALISAY City Mayor Eduardo Gullas has recommended the issuance of a cease and desist order (CDO) against a packaging firm based in Barangay Dumlog, Talisay City after they were caught spewing their waste water off the village's coast a few days ago.

Dr. Jomar Rubio, Gullas' chief-of-staff, said the CDO will be drafted by the City Legal Office and will be implemented against G-Box Corrugated Packaging Inc. in a few days time.

Rubio said the CDO was ordered by the mayor after a video of the firm sending its waste water toward the sea went viral on social media.

Before the CDO was ordered by the mayor, Talisay City Licensing Division chief Jane Enrile and personnel from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-Central Visayas went to the firm to investigate.

During their investigation, Enrile and DENR-Central Visayas personnel found that the firm committed numerous violations, including improper waste water disposal, and failed to provide a sanitary permit issued by the city.

Enrile also found that the firm had no building permit issued by the city.

The owner of the firm, Paul Edgar Gambong, explained to Enrile and the inspecting team that the red water they disposed to the sea was actually water coming from their printers they used to mark their products.

Gambong told Enrile that the firm had an existing manhole where they dispose of their waste water but it was full due to rains occurring during the previous days.

Because of this, the firm's employees had to dispose of their water in the sea, Enrile said, quoting Gambong.

But Enrile said she is not convinced of Gambong's explanation and is vehement in penalizing the firm for disposing their wastewater in the sea.