RESIDENTS near a cornstarch plant in Davao City are complaining of a stench coming from the creek in their area.
On Wednesday, July 13, Facebook user Bean Aseret posted on Davao City’s Public Forum group photos taken by a concerned resident of St. Jude Village in Daliao, Toril. The photos showed how the creek has now turned whitish due to wastes allegedly coming from a nearby cornstarch plant.
"This cornstarch waste goes directly to the sea. The plant emits foul odor as if it were coming from a septic tank," Aseret’s post read.
He said the residents of Sto. Niño, Villa Josefina, Dacoville, and other surrounding communities within the proximity of the plant have already smelled the foul odor.
Affected homeowners have already filed complaints against the cornstarch and feedmill plant. The complaint was already forwarded to Dumoy Barangay Captain Jesse Mar Culaste and the city government through the committee on health headed by Councilor Mary Joselle Villafuerte.
“That was four months ago, and we haven't heard from them till now. They (members of the City Council) cannot all say that they are busy with [Covid-19] issues as there are other matters needing their attention and action,” Aseret added.
Inday (name withheld) told SunStar Davao that residents personally complained to the plant several years ago. She had been living in the area since 2015 and the problem was already there at that time.
She said the plant responded and conducted a cleanup of the canals.
“Naglimpyo-limpyo lang kadali, wala pa gani kaabot isa ka oras, wala na pud. Sukad ato, wala nako kadungog nila balik (They conducted a clean-up for a while, which didn’t took an hour. We haven’t seen their presence since then),” Inday said, adding that some residents are already getting sick because of the foul odor.
A dialysis patient, another resident in the area, also shared how the stench has already affected his health.
"Sige siya'g [dialysis patient] kasakit. Kabuhion gyud siya. Bawal sa iya ang baho. Basta makasimhot siya, kasukaon siya. Mao na naka-trigger sa iyang hyperacidity (The patient had been sick. He doesn’t feel good and the smell makes it worse. It makes him want to vomit and triggers his hyperacidity)," Inday shared.
As some of them have already been suffering from red eyes, some residents have opted to leave the area for good. Others, however, especially those who do not have other places to transfer to, decide to stay despite the stench. Inday said they hope the City Government would intervene already.
Another point of concern for the resident is how the situation gets worse especially when there’s flooding in the area. A resident living there for three months now, Neil (real name withheld) said he is worried about his children's health.
“Ginaagwanta na lang namo ang baho. Naanad na lang sila. Wala man hinuon sila nagkasakit pero wala lang namo sila ginapadula duol sa kanal kay basin mahulog ug basin magkasakit sa kagaw (We’ve been trying to live with the smell. We just got used to it. None of the kids here get sick but we tell them not to play near the canal so as not to fall and catch disease from the bacteria they might get there),” Neil said.
SunStar Davao has reached out to the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro) and the Ancillary Services Unit (ASU) but as of Wednesday evening, July 14, they have yet to respond. (RGL/With reports from Mark Perandos)