FOLLOWING the directive issued by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 7, water service provider Mactan Rock Industries Inc. (MRII) reiterated its call for tourism establishments to comply with environmental laws, particularly in waste water treatment.
MRII chairman Antonio Tompar said under the implementing rules and regulations of Republic Act 9275 or The Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004, water service providers are directed to handle the waste water of the clients they supply water to.
Tompar said that hoteliers especially in Mactan have yet to respond to his request for meetings despite a series of follow-ups.
“Water service providers are urged to not only install water facilities but also to collect waste water,” he said.
Section 8 of RA 9275 states that the agency vested to provide water supply and sewerage facilities and concessionaires in Metro Manila and other highly urbanized cities, in coordination with local government units, are required to connect the existing sewage lines found in all subdivisions, condominiums, commercial centers, hotels, sports and recreational facilities, hospitals, market places, public buildings, industrial complexes and other similar establishments, including households to available sewerage systems. The connection must be subject to sewerage services fees in accordance with existing laws, rules or regulations unless the sources have already utilized their own sewerage system, and that all sources of sewage and septage have complied with the requirements.
MRII submitted a letter of commitment to the DENR 7 on April 19, 2018, which the agency approved.
MRII vowed to construct a waste water treatment facility (WTF) for Mactan for the 5,000 cubic meters (cu.m) supplied to Metro Cebu Water District (MCWD) on or before April 20, 2020.
If MRII fails to comply with the construction of a WTF, MRII said it will stop providing water to firms or establishments, including MCWD. MRII also emphasized that it will no longer provide water to those firms and MCWD if they will not tap into the constructed WTF.
MRII vowed to do the same in Panglao. It committed to construct a 2,000 cu.m WTF for the local district on or before April 19, 2019.
Tompar said they are having difficulty meeting with the Hotel, Resort and Restaurant Association of Cebu (HRRAC).
In a separate interview, HRRAC president Carlo Suarez said that while they are willing to sit down with MRII, HRRAC member companies are compliant with the environmental policies and that they have their preferred and accredited suppliers that comply with the law.
Calls for tourism establishments to become environmentally compliant were heightened following the temporary six-month closure of Boracay Island in 2018. (KOC)