BILLIONS of pesos in hard-earned Filipino taxpayers money will have to be spent by the government to clean up the historic and sun-kissed but heavily-polluted Manila Bay.
Under the cleanup drive, the government is mandated to distribute free waste mangement equipment to local government units (LGUs) comprising the Manila Bay watershed.
The watershed covers 16 cities and one municipality in Metropolitan Manila and eight provinces – Bulacan, Pampanga, Bataan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Cavite, Rizal and Laguna.
Needed in the elaborately-orchetrated drive are biodegradable waste shredders and composters, according to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
Senator Cynthia A. Villar, chair of the Senate committee on environmment and natural resources, called on recipient LGUs to properly use the waste management equipment.
Villar sent her video message as a special guest during the ceremonial turnover of the solid waste management equipment to the cities and municipalities of Laguna.
DENR said Pampanga received the first batch of waste shredders and composters.
Villar expressed hope there would be no problem in the distribution of these equipment to LGUs in the remaining six provinces and Metropolitan Manila.
Aside from being part of the Manila Bay clean-up and rehabilitation, the equipment will help LGUs comply with the provisions of RA No. 9003 or the Solid Waste Management Act.
The law mandates the segregation, composting and recycling of wastes, said Villar as she thanked the DENR for distributing the waste shredders and composters.
The turnover of the equipment in Laguna was graced by DENR Undersecretary Benny Antiporda, Environmental Management Bureau Director William Cunado and PITC President Dave Almarines.
The government, through the DENR, is on the right track in helping LGUs in the proper disposal of wastes as provided under the Solid Waste Management Act.
