CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Fourth District Board Member Ricardo Yabut is set to file an ordinance meant to save Pampanga River and other waterways in the province.
During the Provincial Board’s regular session on Friday, Yabut said he is currently working with Environment and Natural Resources Committee chairman and fellow fourth district colleague Nestor Tolentino on the legislative measure that will require village officials “to be responsible in cleaning up their respective waterways.”
“It is the responsibility of the village heads and village officials to look after waterways connected to the Pampanga River. They should ensure that it is free of garbage which often contributes to massive flooding in Pampanga, particularly areas in the Third and Fourth Districts,” he said.
Yabut told Sun.Star Pampanga that in the measure, villages will be required to pass their own ordinance regarding the waterways clean-up and upkeep.
“There will be sanctions and penalties on those who would continue to make our waterways dumping sites of waste. Barangay officials must see that this is properly and immediately implement once it gets approval from the Provincial Board in our session next week,” he added.
Yabut said he will revive his earlier proposal for the plastic ban in the province, starting at Capitol, with his “Araw-araw na walang plastikan.”
“A lot of provinces and towns have adopted the measure. I am optimistic we could also do it here in Pampanga with strong political will,” he said.