The Boracay effect and Earth Day
AS Earth Day comes, thoughts almost automatically turn to Boracay and the other island destinations where water quality is under increased public scrutiny.
If there’s one thing that emerged from the impending Boracay “closure,” it’s that people have started to learn more about the pollution they may cause, and that complying with laws such as the Clean Water Act are no longer something they can ignore.
Moreover, communities have become more conscious of the wastewater that ends up in rivers and the nearby seashore and it has made them take a second look at whether they walk their talk on being environment friendly.
It is not only in Boracay. From Coron, Siargao, Puerto Galera, and other island destinations there is heightened consciousness about water quality, and a rush to follow rules on wastewater and easements following discoveries of past non-compliance which may have caused some problems. These ultimately affect the cleanliness of waters they encourage tourists to swim in.
I can also imagine how many large companies are now conducting pollution audits to determine the extent of the polution they contribute.
In the past, being friends with the environment was treated as a feel-good statement rather than a real commitment.
I recall how in the past some business organizations would force government to sometimes compromise on implementing environmental laws. As a result, enforcement is weakened and pollution persisted even after the first hypes had died down. Sounds familiar? But the deeper significance of the Boracay closure is that establishments are forced to comply as a group. The proof of this compliance is, ultimately, the water quality of their common shore.
If the common resource remains damaged, then rewarding the few who comply while allowing the rest not to may result in the same outcome.
Groups of establishments will now have to come together and help each other meet the standard.
At another level, it shows that whether you are a big or small company, the law needs to be complied with. No favors.
For if smaller businesses have begun complying, then there is no more excuse for the bigger ones to avoid cleaning up their own acts.
This is the perspective behind creating the Water Quality Management Area (WAQMA) as elucidated in the Clean Water Act.
It is a multisectoral body composed of government and private groups that meets regularly to discuss and take action on meeting the common goal of achieving targets in maintaining or inproving the quality of identified water bodies is laid out.
The good news is that compliance has been made easier now that many of these processes can be availed of online through the DENR-EMB website, unlike the tedious past process where frequent trips to their offices yielded confusing outcomes for those submitting reports.
Having said these, perhaps it is time to look at the facts – the water quality of the rivers and nearby shores of our major cities. In your own cities and provinces, i would encourage you to ask about your local WAQMA. Is the water quality the same as it was 30 years ago?
Maybe local citizens groups and civil society organizations, church snd business organizations need to take a hard look at the quality of water, starting first by reviewing recent regular sampling by the regional offices of the DENR Environmental Management Bureau. Your WAQMA ought to have them.
Moving forward, perhaps it’s time for LGUs and their water districts to look into kickstarting the effort to build proper sewerage systems for all of our key cities, which are often built near major rivers.
Otherwise, they can conduct their own sampling on the same sites with EMB accredited professional laboratories, a list of which can be found in the EMB website.
Indeed, protecting our water resources is a group effort.
If there is one more thing worth examining in light of the coming Labor Day, it is to check if employers on the island comply with labor laws, particularly, requirements for job security, tenure, and the benefits such as Philheath and social security that oight to be enjoyed by all workers.
It may also be prudent to check whether there are unauthorized expatriates that are working without the required DOLE permits.
While the “closure” remains, perhaps “cleaning up” Boracay and other tourist spots should also include making it more beneficial to create greater inclusion for the local econony, which also includes the protection of workers. For reactions: