LGU never tolerates ‘violating’factories

SAN SIMON - Mayor Leonora C. Wong of this town asserted that the local government never tolerated the “polluting and defiant” industrial plants operating within

its jurisdiction, contrary to the claims of Fourth District Representative Juan Pablo “Rimpy” Bondoc.

Denying the statements of Bondoc, Wong said that she has also been critical of all factories along Quezon Road, particularly those who were already identified with existing violations of the environmental laws.

She disclosed that since 2017, the local government here has not been issuing mayor’s permits to all industrial plants with violations as one of the requirements in securing the permit is a clearance from Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

“Kung gusto niya, pumunta siya sa munisipyo at tignan niya kung may inissue na permit ang local government o kaya pumunta siya sa mga sinasabi niyang factory at tignan niya kung may nakadisplay na mayor’s permit, baka mapahiya siya. Simula last year, hindi na kami nag-issue ng mayor’s permit (If he wants, he could come to the municipal hall and check if the local government issued permits to these factories. Or if he wants, he could check on the factories if there are mayor’s permits on display). We collected the tax but we never issued the permit,” she said.

Wong also asserted that it is not the local government’s duty to close down a manufacturing plant for environmental violations because it is the DENR which issues the necessary permits for their operations.

She stressed that if the DENR did not issue a closure order despite the violations it discovered from the investigation it conducted, the local government cannot also do so. Wong, meanwhile, questioned the supposed concern of Bondoc to San Simon town, saying “if he is really concerned about the development of San Simon, he must discuss his concerns with the local government instead of making public statements.”

“If he is really concerned sa aking bayan ng San Simon, I am happy to work with him. But making negative statements in public about the town just to demerit the incumbent is never healthy,” Wong said.

She added that Bondoc as representative of the fourth district and her as mayor of San Simon, can and must work together towards the development of their jurisdiction and the people they owe their position to.

She noted that her office is always open should Bondoc decide to meet with her and discuss his concern and how they can solve them together for the benefit of the people of San Simon.