Households blamed for majority of pollution

Manila: Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Angelo Reyes has said 80 per cent of the country's pollution comes from households that dispose of their waste into rivers and creeks.

"We are now engaged in the only war that we are authorised to wage morally, the war against our own extinction... and we have to wage this war now," said Reyes on Friday.

"This new protracted battle has to be won on all fronts.

"It has to be a harmonious, synchronised, coordinated, united effort involving the government, national and local, non-government organisations, the donor agencies and the community," Reyes pointed out.

Reyes said the high population rate especially in the urban areas will also create environmental problems as spaces that allocate some margin of safety between septic tanks and deep wells and pipes for drinking water are deteriorating.

He also said there is a need to clean the septic tanks of the 85 per cent of urban households every five to seven years.

However, Reyes lamented that cleaning is not done because of ignorance, lack of resources or plain irresponsibility.