The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has issued a cease and desist order (CDO) against the municipal government of Limay in Bataan province for operating an open dumpsite located in Barangay San Francisco de Asis I.

Establishment and maintenance of an open dumpsite is strictly prohibited under Republic Act 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.

In a two-page order dated May 7, 2019 and signed by Undersecretary for Solid Waste Management and Local Government Unit (LGU) Concerns Benny Antiporda, the DENR directed Mayor Lilvir Roque to “immediately cease and desist” from operating the dumpsite and “conduct immediate rehabilitation of the area.”

Mayor Roque and members of the Limay Municipal Council led by the vice mayor,Robert Arvin Roque, were also summoned to Antiporda’s office at the DENR headquarters in Quezon City to present their immediate plan of action for the closure and rehabilitation of the dumpsite.

They were told to “bring the necessary documents, clearances and other permits issued pertaining to the implementation of the disposal site.”

“Failure to appear in the said meeting and submit the required explanation would mean a waiver on your part and this Office shall resolve the case based on our records in accordance with the rules,” Antiporda warned Limay town officials.

Section 37 of RA 9003 states that “no open dumps shall be established and operated, nor any practice or disposal of solid waste by any person, including LGUs, which constitutes the use of open dumps for solid wastes, is allowed.”

Under Section 48(9) of the same law, the establishment or operation of open dumpsite is prohibited and penalties await violators. Any person found violating the law for the first time, shall upon conviction, face a fine of P500,000, plus an amount equivalent to up to 10 percent of his net annualincome during the previous year.

Administrative charges may also be filed against local and national government officials who fail to comply with and enforce the rules and regulations relative to RA 9003.

The CDO was served on May 8 to Roque’s office by DENR’s Bataan Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer (PENRO) Raul Mamac, Dinalupihan (Bataan) Community Environment and Natural Resources Officer (CENRO) Marife Castillo and staff members from the DENR’s Environmental Management Bureau in Region 3.

Antiporda said the operation of the Limay dumpsite must be stopped to prevent it from reaching the nearby Manila Bay, which is currently undergoing rehabilitation.

“We cannot clean Manila Bay if we allow this,” Antiporda said, pointing out that dumpsites have leachates which could flow to nearby bodies of water.

The Limay open dumpsite is located right beside a creek that flows to Mamala River, which drains into Manila Bay.

“Masasayanglangangmalakinghalaganagugugulinnatinsapaglilinis ng Manila Bay kung mayroonggayanito,” Antiporda said, referring to the waste pile estimated to be two-story high or approximately 6 meters.

The open dumpsite sits on a 7-hectare property owned by the Limay municipal government.

According to CENRO Castillo, Limay has an existing memorandum of agreement (MOA) with Metro Clark Waste Management Corp. (MCWMC) in connection with the dumpsite’s safe closure and rehabilitation. The MOA was signed in 2015 and will expire in December this year.

Castillo, however, said the MCWMC never issued a disposal report since the supposed closure and rehabilitation of the Limay dumpsite. ###

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Published: 09 May 2019

Naglabas ng cease and desist order (CDO) ang Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) laban sa municipal government ng Limay sa Bataan dahil sa pagpapatakbo nito ng open dumpsite na mahigpit na ipinagbabawal ng batas sa ilalim ng Republic Act 9003 o ang Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.

Base sa dalawang pahinang kautusan na inilabas noong Mayo 7, 2019 na nilagdaan ni Undersecretary for Solid Waste Management and Local Government Unit (LGU) Concerns Benny Antiporda, inaatasan nito si Mayor Lilvir Roque na ipatigil ang operasyon ng dumpsite kasabay ng pagsasagawa ng rehabilitasyon sa naturang lugar.

Ipatatawag naman ni Antiporda si Roque at ang mga miyembro ng Limay Municipal Council na pinamumunuan ng kanilang vice-mayor na si Robert Arvin Roque sa tanggapan ng DENR sa Quezon City upang iprisenta ang kanilang plano para sa pagsasara at rehabilitasyon ng dumpsite.

Inatasan din ang mga ito na dalhin ang lahat ng kaukulang dokumento, clearance at permit para sa naging operasyon ng naturang disposal site.

“Failure to appear in the said meeting and submit the required explanation would mean a waiver on your part and this Office shall resolve the case based on our records in
accordance with the rules,” babala pa ni Antiporda sa mga opisyales ng Limay.

Sa nakasaad sa Section 37 ng RA 9003, “no open dumps shall be established and operated, nor any practice or disposal of solid waste by any person, including LGUs, which
constitutes the use of open dumps for solid wastes, is allowed.”

Ayon pa sa Section 48(9) ng nasabing batas, mahigpit na ipinagbabawal ang pagpapatakbo ng open dumpsite at ang sinumang mahuhuling lumalabag dito ay
pagmumultahin ng P500,000 at karagdagang 10 percent ng kanyang annual income ng nakaraang taon.

Maaari ding sampahan ng administrative case ang mga local at national government official na hindi magpapatupad ng rules and regulations ng RA 9003.
Inihain ang CDO sa tanggapan ni Roque noong Mayo 8 nina DENR-Bataan Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office Raul Mamac, Dinalupihan (Bataan)
Community Environment and Natural Resources Officer (CENRO) Marife Castillo at staff members ng Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) ng Region 3.

Ayon kay Antiporda, nararapat lamang na ipahinto ang operasyon ng Limay dumpsite upang mapigilang makontamina ang tubig sa Manila Bay na sumasailalim ngayon sa
rehabilitasyon.

“We cannot clean Manila Bay if we allow this,” sabi pa ni Antiporda kasabay ng pagdidiin na maaaring maapektuhan ng dumpsite ang dumadaloy na tubig sa malalapit na body of water.

Ang Limay open dumpsite na matatagpuan sa Barangay San Francisco de Asis I ay malapit lamang sa Mamala River na dumadaloy naman ang tubig patungo sa Manila Bay.
“Masasayang lang ang malaking halaga na gugugulin natin sa paglilinis ng Manila Bay kung mayroong gaya nito,” ayon kay Antiporda na tumutukoy sa basura na tinatayang
may taas na anim na metro na nakatambak sa open dumpsite na may lawak na 7 hektarya at pag-aari ng Limay municipal government.

Ayon kay CENRO Castillo, ang Limay ay may kasalukuyang memorandum of agreement (MOA) sa Metro Clark Waste Management Corp. (MCWMC) na may kaugnayan sa pagsasara at gagawing rehabilitasyon ng naturang dumpsite na nilagdaan noong 2015 at magtatapos sa Disyembre ng kasalukuyang taon.

Sinabi pa ni Castillo na hindi naglalabas ng ulat ang MCWMC simula noong itinakda ang pagsasara at gagawing rehabilitasyon ng Limay dumpsite. ###

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Published: 09 May 2019

The Philippines has embarked on a five-year project aimed at eliminating the use of the highly toxic mercury in artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM).

The project, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) as the implementing agency, aims to promote legislation to legalize and support ASGM while encouraging miners to extract gold using environment friendly alternatives to mercury.

DENR Undersecretary AnalizaRebueltaTeh said the GEF-Global Opportunities for Long-Term Development or GEF-GOLD project is a way to help small-scale miners who are willing to abide by government policies on responsible mining practices.

Teh said the project is expected to help the Philippines “contribute to the elimination of mercury in ASGM through a supply chain approach from miners to refiners.”

“We hope that small-scale miners will see mercury-free gold mining as viable,” said Teh, who also serves as operational focal point person of GEF-Philippines.

Mercury, also known as “quicksilver,” is widely used in ASGM as a “magnet” to extract gold that is mixed with soil and other sediments in ores. This exposes miners to the metal, which is known for its toxicity that could affect the nervous, immune and digestive systems.

Aside from the Philippines, the GEF-GOLD project which has an allocation of US$45 million is also being implemented in Peru, Colombia, Guyana, Indonesia, Kenya, Burkina Faso and Mongolia.

In the Philippines, the project sites are the towns of Maco in Compostela Valley, T’boli in South Cotabato and Rosario in Agusan del Sur.

The components of the project include a review of policies and legal frameworks supporting the ASGM sector; introduction of financing schemes allowing miners to invest in sustainable mercury-free technologies; upscaling of these technologies; dissemination of information to ensure replication; and monitoring and evaluation.

According to the DENR’s Mines and Geosciences Bureau, there are a total of 38 small-scale mining sites in the Caraga region, while 78 exist in the Cordillera Administrative Region.

Small-scale mining is protected and regulated under Republic Act 7076 or the People’s Small-Scale Mining Act, as well as Executive Order 79, which provides for the establishment or declaration of “minahang bayan.”

To date, there are 26 sites which have been declared “minahang bayan”.

Aside from promoting mercury-free gold mining, the GEF-GOLD project also aims to address issues involving ASGM such as working conditions, child labor and gender gap.

The project is also one of the strategies as the Philippines aims to be mercury-free under the Minamata Convention on Mercury, which is yet to be ratified by Senate.

Apart from ASGM, mercury has also been detected in some fuels, recycled metals, and consumer products like whitening cosmetics, batteries and dental fillers.

Earlier this year, an assessment on environmental impacts of mercury identified four sites with confirmed mercury contamination, and 11 others suspected with the presence of the metal, including Manila Bay. ###

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Published: 04 May 2019

Pumasok ang Pilipinas sa five-year project na layuning maiwasan ang paggamit ng highly toxic mercury sa artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM).

Ang proyektong ito ay pinondohan ng Global Environment Facility (GEF) kung saan ay magsisilbing implementing agency ang Department of Environment and Natural
Resources (DENR), pakay nito na maging ligal ang pagsuporta sa ASGM at hinihikayat din ang mga minero na gumamit ng mga alternatibong pamalit sa mercury.

Ayon kay DENR Undersecretary Analiza Rebuelta Teh, ang GEF-Global Opportunities for Long-Term Development (GEF-GOLD) project ay isang paraan upang
matulungan ang mga small-scale miners na handang sumunod sa polisiya ng gobyerno at maging responsable sa pagmimina.

Aniya, layon din ng proyektong ito na matulungan ang Pilipinas upang makibahagi sa eliminasyon ng paggamit ng mercury sa ASGM sa pamamagitan ng “chain approach” na
“miners to refiners.”

“We hope that small-scale miners will see mercury-free gold mining as viable,” sabi pa ni Teh na nagsilbi ring focal point person ng GEF-Philippines.

Ang mercury na kilala rin sa tawag na “quicksilver” ay kadalasang ginagamit sa ASGM bilang “magnet” upang makuha ang ginto na nakahalo sa lupa at iba pang bagay.
Maaari itong makaapekto sa mga minero na “expose” sa metal dahil makaaapekto ito sa nervous, immune at digestive systems ng tao.

Bukod sa Pilipinas, ang GEF-GOLD project na may alokasyon na aabot sa halagang US$45 million ay iniimplementa rin sa Peru, Columbia, Guyana, Indonesia, Kenya, Burkina,
Faso at Mongolia.

Ang mga project sites sa Pilipinas ay matatagpuan sa Maco sa Compostela Valley, T’boli sa South Cotabato at Rosario sa Agusan del Sur.

Kabilang sa mga bahagi ng proyekto ay ang mga sumusunod: review of policies and legal frameworks supporting the ASGM sector; introduction of financing schemes allowing
miners to invest in sustainable mercury-free technologies; upscaling of these technologies; dissemination of information to ensure replication; and monitoring and evaluation.

Ayon sa Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) ng DENR, umaabot sa 38 ang small-scale mining sites sa Caraga region habang 78 naman ang nasa Cordillera Administrative
Region.

Ang small-scale mining ay protektado ng Republic Act 7076 o ang People’s Small-Scale Mining Act bukod pa dito ang Executive Order 79 na nag-aatas sa pagkakaroon ng
“minahang bayan”.

Sa kasalukuyan, umaabot sa 26 ang idineklarang minahang bayan sites. Bukod sa pag-promote ng mercury-free gold mining, isinusulong din ng GEF-GOLD
project na matutukan ang isyu sa ASGM kabilang na dito ang working conditions, child labor at gender gap.

Ang naturang proyekto ay isa ring istratehiya upang mapabilis ang pagratipika ng senado sa Minamata Convention on Mercury.

Hindi lamang sa ASGM makikita ang mercury dahil may presensiya din ito sa fuels, recycled metals, whitening cosmetics, batteries at dental fillers.

Kamakailan lamang nitong taon nang magsagawa ng assessment sa epekto ng mercury sa ating kapaligiran at labing-isang lugar ang lumalabas na kontaminado ng naturang
metal kabilang na dito ang Manila Bay. ###

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Published: 04 May 2019

The discovery of live coral cover within the waters of Manila Bay buoyed hopes that the heavily polluted water body could still be restored to its pristine condition.

Environment Secretary Roy A. Cimatu, who heads the inter-agency Manila Bay Task Force, said recent findings that coral reefs are still thriving in many parts of the bay give government more reason to proceed with the rehabilitation.

“With the vibrant underwater life still teeming in several areas in Manila Bay, there is hope that we can still revive it to what it used to be,” Cimatu said.

The Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau (ERDB), the research arm of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), recently conducted an inventory of the coral ecosystems within Manila Bay and found out that many of them are thriving despite environmental and human pressures.

ERDB supervising science research specialist Jose Isidro Michael Padin said majority of the coral cover is found in Corregidor and Caballo Islands in Cavite province.

“Nearly 72% of the estimated reef area is found in Cavite. The reef sites in Maragondon and few stations in Corregidor and Caballo Islands had fair to good live coral cover,” Padin said.

Padin, however, said these reefs are continually threatened by sedimentation, nutrient contamination, reduced water clarity, and high fishing pressure due to increased vulnerability harboring the bay.

According to Padin, runoff sediments and nutrients had been documented to cause coral mortality, but the reef areas remaining at the historic bay are located proximate “at its mouth.”

Based on the coastal resource map prepared by the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority or NAMRIA, the Manila Bay’s coral cover spans 293.68 hectares, but this data does not yet include that of Mariveles in Bataan.

ERDB Director Sofio Quintana said that the bureau is conducting “ridge-to-reef” research on Manila Bay.

“We are seeking for a definite connection among risk factors. Right now, we are trying to gather more data on informal settler families, air and water quality, and habitat to make scientific studies relevant for future projects,” he said.

Quintana added that the ERDB is trying to come up with a unified framework for such projects which when consolidated properly, could make an inference on the status of the Manila Bay area.

“We also want to provide reference in the decision process of the policymaking bodies with the data backed-up by research. If there are existing policies, maybe we could harmonize and align researches to these policies,” the ERDB director said. ###

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Published: 29 April 2019