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
March –
IT’S WOMEN’S MONTH!
“Respect and support women
every day of the year/s!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the recommendations of the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry
against serious violations of protocols of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association.
Accept the National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar. Reject Military!
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Monthly Observances:
Women’s Role in History Month
Weekly Observances:
Week 1: Environmental Week;
Women’s Week
Week 3: Philippine Industry and “
Made-in-the-Philippines Products Week
Last Week: Protection and Gender-Fair Treatment
of the Girl Child Week
Daily Observances:
March 8: Women’s Rights and
International Peace Day;
National Women’s Day
March 4: Employee Appreciation Day
March 15: World Consumer Rights Day
March 18: Global Recycling Day
March 21: International Day for the Elimination
of Racial Discrimination
March 23: International Day for the Right to the Truth
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and for the Dignity of Victims
March 25: International Day of Remembrance of the
Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade
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