CITY OF SAN FERNANDO The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Thursday disclosed that all local government units in Central Luzon have approved 10-year solid waste management plans as well as ordinances on septage and sewerage management.
DILG Central Luzon Director Anthony Nuyda said this will make the Manila Bay Clean-up program in the region efficient.
All 90 LGUs continuously intensifying their initiatives to help in cleaning up Manila Bay and its tributaries, the official said.
Central Luzon is one of the areas in the country mandated to restore the water quality of Manila Bay in accordance with the Writ of Continuing Mandamus of the Supreme Court.
"I could say that the implementation [of the Manila Bay Clean-up program] is efficient, and hopefully, with the efforts of everyone not only in Central Luzon but also in the National Capital Region and Calabarzon, we will be able to clean up the waters of Manila Bay,” Nuyda said.
He said that one of the main causes of the pollution of the bay are solid and liquid wastes which are not properly managed.
“Liquid wastes are also pollutants of Manila Bay waters. We are now in the process of planning on how to implement the projects and plans based on the ordinances of the LGUs and assist them in relocation programs for informal settler families," he said.
He added that the DILG and other mandamus agencies, will continue to assist them in the monitoring and implementation of their projects for the clean-up program.
The Supreme Court mandamus directs 13 government agencies to clean up, rehabilitate, and preserve Manila Bay, and restore and maintain its waters to SB level to make them fit for swimming, skin-diving, and other forms of contact recreation.
Department of Environment and Natural Resources Administrative Order No. 34, series of 1990 defines coastal and marine waters under Class SB classification as areas regularly used by the public for bathing, swimming, and skin diving, and as spawning areas for Chanos chanos or bangus and similar species.