DENR to tap small fishers to clear Pasig River, Laguna de Bay of water hyacinth

TO control the massive proliferation of water hyacinth in major water bodies, particularly Laguna de Bay and Pasig River, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) may soon tap small fishermen to do the job.

Considered as an invasive alien species in the Philippines, the water hyacinth is an aquatic plant native to tropical and sub-tropical South America. The water thrives fast and rise by as much as a meter above the surface of the water.

Water hyacinth is known to cover vast portions of the Laguna de Bay and the growth of this invasive plant species is known to proliferate in the Pasig River.

The problem revolving around the proliferation of water hyacinth was among the issues tackled when Environment Undersecretary for Solid Waste Management and Local Government Units (LGUS) Concerns Benny D. Antiporda met with members of the Manila Bay Anti-pollution Task Force (APTF) last March 11 to discuss the ongoing rehabilitation of Manila Bay.

The proliferation of the invasive water species is known to cause major obstruction to the smooth flow of navigation along waterways.

Antiporda, also head of the Manila Bay APTF, directed members of the task force to prioritize the removal of water hyacinth in Pasig River and Laguna de Bay.

A sub-committee on water hyacinth was then created to control and minimize the growth of the water plant while the Manila Bay APTF will also look into the possibility of employing the services of local fisherfolk to do the cleaning and harvesting.

“We want to make a drastic change in the quality of water in Manila Bay,” Antipordasaidashestressedtheobjective of the task force, which is to complement the actions of Environment Secretary Roy A. Cimatu as chairman of the Manila Bay Task Force.

“To see is to believe, to smell is to believe and to test is to believe,” he said, reminding its members of the taskforce’sthreemaingoals,whichare also the parameters in saying that the Battle for Manila Bay has been won.

Antiporda pointed out that one of the task force’s target is to ensure that no floating debris will be seen along Manila Bay and its tributaries.

“With the improvement of the water quality, there should also be no foul odor coming from the bay,” Antiporda said.

“Most important is the drastic change of the water quality in Manila Bay,” he emphasized.

He also instructed the Manila Bay APTF members to establish an effective monitoring system that has “complete standard operating procedure with the corresponding timeline” to ensure the compliance of “environmental polluters.”

“We need to double up our effort in running after them. We will deal with them head-on,” Antiporda stressed.

ROY DOMINGO A BICYCLE rider pedals his bike across Santa Cruz Bridge in Manila over the Pasig River strewn with floating water hyacinth, an aquatic plant native to the Amazon basin. The proliferation of water hyacinth into Pasig River might as well be an indication that the water level in Laguna de Bay is higher in terms of elevation than Manila Bay’s mean sea level, an expected occurrence since the Pasig River is a tidal estuary, which means that the flow of its direction depends on the water level difference between Manila Bay and Laguna de Bay. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has recently bared plans to tap the services of small fishermen to clear both bodies of water from water hyacinth proliferation.