Poor sanitation hampers clean-up of Manila Bay

Manila: The absence of proper and hygienic septic tanks in majority of households, commercial establishments and factories is hindering the implementation of the Supreme Court verdict of 2008 to clean the water body, a government news portal said.

Only 48 per cent of homes, 31 per cent of commercial establishments, and 24 per cent of factories have hygienic septic tanks. Untreated effluents are the primarily sources of pollution of the coastal areas facing the South China Sea, the news portal said.

Majority of households, commercial establishments and factories in Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga in Angeles City and Tarlac have not complied with the required sanitation ordinance of their respective local government units, Florida Dijan, regional director of the department of interior and local government (DILG) told the Philippine Information Authority.

At the same time, about 6,961 illegal settlers were found in the five provinces in Central Luzon, said Dijan, adding that improvements are needed in these areas to help clean up the Manila Bay.

Earlier, the Supreme Court ruled that local government units must abide by the June 30, 2011 deadline in cleaning up Manila Bay.

The Supreme Court decision was made last February, after it was recommended by the Supreme Court Justice Presbitero Velasco Jr., head of the Manila Bay Advisory Committee (MBAC).

"Compliance to the deadline will lead to Manila Bay's rehabilitation at the soonest possible time," Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon Paje said last year.

In 1988 lawyer Antonio Oposa served as the lawyers of minors who filed a case at the Supreme Court to order then DENR Secretary Fulgencio Factoran to cancel all existing Timber Licence Agreement in the Philippines. When the Supreme Court responded positively to the minors, it resulted in the establishment of the so-called Oposa Doctrine.

In 1999, Oposa filed a case in court against 12 government agencies, saying they should be held liable for Manila Bay's pollution.

In 2008, the Supreme Court ruled in Oposa's favour.