Manila Bay pollution blamed on water firms

Published by rudy Date posted on September 24, 2009

MANILA, Philippines—Two water concessionaires in Metro Manila owe the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) billions of pesos in fines for contributing to the pollution in Manila Bay due to their continued failure to put up waste water treatment plants.

Environment Secretary Lito Atienza made the disclosure during a Senate hearing Wednesday on his department’s proposed P10.6-billion budget for 2010.

Atienza told reporters after the hearing that the DENR was imposing a daily fine of P200,000 on Manila Water Co. Inc. and Maynilad Water Services Inc. for not complying with provisions in their contracts which require them to put up these facilities.

He added that both companies have been violating these provisions for the past 12 years.

Fines worth billions

“If you compute that, that’s billions of pesos [worth of fines],” Atienza said.

“We feel that we can’t save Manila Bay unless we are able to put up waste water treatment facilities that are required by their water concessions,” the DENR secretary added.

Atienza said the two water firms were now drafting a plan for the immediate installation of these facilities after earlier presenting a program that would have taken years to implement.

According to him, the plan would be presented to the government for possible financing should it fail to get monetary support from the private sector.

“We can include this in the priority program of the national government and I’m sure President Arroyo will be most interested [in supporting] our common recommendations,” he said.

Atienza stressed that Manila Bay was in danger of deteriorating further if the waste water treatment facilities were not immediately put up. –Christine Avendaño, Philippine Daily Inquirer

April 2025

World Day for Safety and Health at Work
“Safety and health at work every day!”

Invoke Article 33 of the ILO constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar to carry out the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry recommendations against serious violations of Forced Labour and Freedom of Association protocols.
Accept National Unity Government
(NUG) of Myanmar.
Reject Military!
#WearMask #WashHands #Distancing #TakePicturesVideos

Time to support & empower survivors. Time to spark a global conversation. Time for #GenerationEquality to #orangetheworld!

Monthly Observances:

March – Women’s Role in History Month
April – Month of Planet Earth

Weekly Observances:
Last Week of March: Protection and Gender Fair Treatment of the Girl Child Week
Last Week of April – World Immunization Week

Daily Observances:
Mar 25 – International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transallantic Slave Trade
Mar 27– Earth Hour
Apr 21 – Civil Service Day
Apr 22 – World Earth Day
Apr 28 – World Day for Safety and Health at Work

Trade Union Solidarity Campaigns

No to Trafficking

Jobs! Jobs! Jobs!

Categories