The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has successfully completed the inspection of 4,043 establishments in Metro Manila during the month-long Intensified Compliance Monitoring and Saturation Drive.
DENR Acting Secretary Jim O. Sampulna said the activity aimed to help fast-track the Manila Bay rehabilitation before the end of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s administration.
He commended Undersecretary for Field Operations-Luzon, Visayas, and Environment Juan Miguel T. Cuna for leading the initiative that was conducted from March 14 to April 7.
“I would like to congratulate Usec. Cuna for a very successful operation in Manila Bay. This has really been an intensified drive that we even tapped our field personnel from the regions,” Sampulna said.
The DENR deployed around 160 personnel from the DENR-Metropolitan Environmental Offices, Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) regional offices, EMB-National Capital Region, and the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) for the implementation of the Intensified Compliance Monitoring and Saturation Drive.
Majority of those inspected were commercial businesses, restaurants, manufacturing establishments, gasoline stations, and warehouses.
The EMB-NCR bared that 1,857 establishments were found to be without environmental compliance certificates or certificates of non-coverage, while 1,894 establishments do not have wastewater discharge permits.
However, around 3,623 establishments have access to a wastewater treatment facility.
There were 2,306 with septic tanks, 255 with sewage treatment plants, and 104 with sequencing batch rectors. Also, 575 establishments are connected to water concessionaires.
Cuna said the DENR will issue necessary notices on establishments found to be neglectful of their obligations under Republic Act (RA) 9275 or the Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004.
The establishments found to have violated pertinent laws will be issued notices of violation and will be called for a technical conference either by the EMB-NCR or LLDA to give them the opportunity to contest the basis of the issued NOV, or secure a commitment from them to comply with the requirements and implement remedial measures.
Meanwhile, plans to inspect more establishments in Metro Manila and in the Manila Bay regions are also being considered.
During the month-long activity, the team of inspectors focused on ensuring the compliance of establishments with environmental laws, such as RA 9275 and Presidential Decree 1586.
This was done through the review of documents and permits, probe of the source of wastewater generation, audit of the process flow of their wastewater facilities, as well as the conduct of water sampling.
The Manila Bay Rehabilitation aims to restore the Manila Bay waters into Class SB level or safe for recreational activities such as swimming under the Writ of Continuing Mandamus issued by the Supreme Court in 2008. ###
