Criticized for allegedly prioritizing the P389-million beach nourishment project over the pollution problems hounding Manila Bay, an official of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has maintained that the campaign to rid the bay of garbage is not being taken lightly by the department.
The official said parallel to the overlaying of crushed dolomite over a 500-meter portion of Manila Bay in Manila, coastal and even river and estero cleanup activities are also being conducted in various cities and municipalities in the Manila Bay region, which stretches from Cavite, a province south of Manila and peninsular Bataan in the north.
On top of this, DENR Undersecretary for Solid Waste Management and Local Government Units Concerns Benny D. Antiporda said they intend to hold a dialogue with concerned LGUs in the Manila Bay region to boost the ongoing cleanup and rehabilitation of Manila Bay and to police the ranks of fish pen operators in their respective localities.
The DENR is the agency tasked to lead the Manila Bay Interagency Task Force mandated by President Duterte to rehabilitate one of the country’s most economically important water bodies.
The stranding of some crew ships in Manila Bay due to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) and community lockdowns, Antiporda said, may have been contributory factors in the recent increase in the volume of garbage reaching the shores of the bay.
He speculated that stranded passenger crew ships may be behind the dumping of garbage in open waters.
“There are more than 10 stranded passenger crew ships there and we suspect that these are where some of the garbage came from,” said Antiporda.
Antiporda added they also intend to talk to mayors who issue permits for fish pen operations to tackle the environmental problems caused by raising tilapia and bangus, especially after a strong typhoon, that usually result in the destruction of fish pens and fish cages.
“Every time there’s a storm, fish pens are swept away by strong wind and waves. The bamboo poles and mesh nets are left in the ocean and add to the garbage problem in Manila Bay,” Antiporda said.
“We want to know what are their mitigation measures first and what’s their solution to the environmental problems caused by fish pen operation,” Antiporda said.
Manila Bay remains a productive fishing ground and some areas are known as Luzon’s most productive aquaculture hub. Aquaculture hubs in Cavite, Bulacan, and Bataan are known to produce bangus and tilapia, including mussel and oyster.
“We will appeal to the LGUs to tell these fish pen operators to do their part also,” Antiporda said.
With the launching of the Battle for Manila Bay, Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Ano had asked LGUs, including barangay units to help conduct cleanups in rivers and esteros to boost the on-going Manila Bay rehabilitation.
So far, Antiporda said the Battle for Manila Bay is succeeding in reducing the volume of garbage that ends up in the oceans.