Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon Paje, in a meeting almost a month ago, made a commitment to the children, parents, a barangay health worker, and barangay health officials of the City of San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan, and Payatas, Quezon City to conduct an investigation of the “sanitary landfills” located in these two cities.

But until last Saturday night, concerned residents of CSJDM and Payatas had yet to see DENR people doing their investigation job.

Hauling and dumping in the glorified dumpsite called “sanitary landfill” continue. Residents of the cities mentioned described the ill-effects on their health. Asthma, skin infections, diarrhea, etc, are the most prevalent diseases the young and old people alike are now suffering.

The so-called “sanitary landfill” or dumpsite in disguise in CSJDM is situated in Barangays Minuyan Proper and San Isidro, which are known as the “VGP SLF” and “WACUMAN SLF”.

The Payatas so-called sanitary landfill was established only in December 2010. Before that, it was a controlled dumpsite since 2006, and therefore had been operating illegally since then, according to Republic 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.

Paanong susunod ang mga Pilipino sa mga batas kung ang mismong dapat magpatupad ng batas ay hindi sumusunod?

Dapat ding ipasiyasat ni Sec. Paje sa kanyang mga tauhan kung kanyang mamarapatin, ang ore mining at silica gel quarrying sa Doña Remedios Trinidad, Bulacan. Gayundin ang pagpapasabog sa isang bundok malapit sa Bundok ng Biak-na-Bato upang kumuha ng marmol. Ang bundok ay bahagi na ng San Ildefonso, Bulacan.

The ore and silica gel mining have been going on for several years now. My sources told me that during rainy days, the ore mining tail wastes reach Barangay Sibul Spring, in San Miguel, Bulacan, polluting the waters for drinking and irrigation of the farmers’ fields.

As of now, the ore mining company projects itself is engaged only in small- scale mining but it has a pending application for a Mineral Production Sharing Agreement or MPSA with the DENR. Allegedly, the permits are given for small-scale mining but there are several of these for one site, which becomes actually large-scale mining.

The National Greening Program of the DENR is a welcome development. But DRT farmers and residents are apprehensive about a pending application of a cement company in Barangay Talbak, DRT.

The residents of DRT, San Ildefonso and San Miguel, are very much aware about what is happening to Norzagaray  where two large cement plants are operating. According to them, allegedly, the cement plants emit ash from the cement kilns which may not be visible to the naked eye while the ash is being emitted, but when residents wake up in the early morning, the whole place is white with ash settling on rooftops, trees, and other plants.

How will the National Greening Program of reforestation succeed with these environmental threats?

What has happened to the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act, and other environmental laws which are honored more in the breach?

Again, we urge Sec. Paje to firmly instruct his people to do their duties properly and conscientiously.

Paimbestigahan ang ipinangakong paiimbestigahan at tunay na ipagtanggol ang Inang Kalikasan.

The key word is PROTECT the environment.

( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. )