DILG to summon chairmen of 1,000 villages along Manila Bay

THE Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) will issue a show cause order against at least a thousand barangay chairmen whose villages lie along the Manila Bay.

They will be asked to explain their failure to strictly impose the environmental laws amid the government’s bid to clean up and rehabilitate the watershed area.

DILG Undersecretary for Barangay Operations Martin Diño said they were preparing to file charges against the erring local government officials who failed to comply with Memorandum Order No. 2019-09.;

The DILG order directed 178 local government units and 5,714 barangays in the National Capital Region (NCR), Central Luzon, and Calabarzon which covers the area of the Manila Bay Watershed Area to conduct weekly clean-up drives.

The memorandum was issued to reiterate the order of President Rodrigo Duterte to clean up and rehabilitate the Manila Bay similar to what the government did to Boracay Island in Aklan.

“Around 1,000 of the 5,714 barangays remain to be indifferent to our cause, making a complete mockery of our overall

campaign by continuously disregarding these high level orders for rehabilitation of the bay. It’s about time (we teach) these negligent officials a lesson for not complying with and enforcing applicable and environmental laws and policies pursuant to the law,” Diño said.

“Kailangan natin ang matino, mahusay, maaasahang mga barangay upang tunay na magpatupad ng batas sa kanilang nasasakupa hinggil sa rehabilitation ng Manila Bay. Patuloy kong hinihikayat ang atin punong barangays na makiisa at lalo pang gampanan ang kanilang tungkulin as mandated by the law,” he added.

Meanwhile, Diño said they are continuously coordinating with the National Housing Authority (NHA) for the relocation of the informal settlers along rivers, esteros and other tributaries connected to the Manila Bay.

Diño said these households are a major source of pollution at the Manila Bay.

Diño also said they are also policing industrial firms and restaurants polluting the Manila Bay.

Earlier, DILG Secretary Eduardo Año urged the local government units to cancel or revoke the business permits of establishments within the Manila Bay watershed area that fail to comply with the environmental laws imposed by the government.