Workers start clearing creek of garbage
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February 9, 2011
MABALACAT — Municipal Government workers and volunteers have started clearing the Duquit creek with garbage after it has been used as an open dumpsite for several decades now.
Mayor Marino Morales said workers from the maintenance department and solid waste management office are manually removing piles of garbage dumped along the creek.
He admitted that the cleaning effort is slow but assured that it will continue until the waterway is cleared and rehabilitated.
The local government unit, Morales said, needs a backhoe and trucks to remove all the waste from the creek.
The Municipal Government has sought the assistance of the Provincial and National Government, according to Morales.
Governor Lilia Pineda also vowed to assist the Mabalacat town.
Morales said the Pampanga governor is “very serious” in improving the town’s solid waste management.
“The governor means business. We are happy to have a governor like her which is very supportive to us,” Morales said.
Once the creek is cleared with waste, its embankment will be concretized to prevent lateral erosions, Morales added.
He said proper coordination will be made to concerned agencies like the Department of Public Works and Highways for the rip-rapping of the creek.
The town is now dumping residual waste at the Kalangitan Sanitary Landfill in Capas Tarlac, according to Municipal Administrator Rosano Paquia.
Morales earlier directed the solid waste management council here to curb illegal dumping of garbage particularly into open dumpsites.
This following a notice of violation issued by the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in line with the implementation of Republic Act 9003 otherwise known as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2002.
With the help of EMB officials, Morales immediately ordered for the closure of two major dumpsites in Barangays Duquit and Tabun upon receiving the notice last week.
Morales also directed the town police chief Rolly Mendoza to apprehend individuals dumping waste at open dumpsites.
Morales said he has also directed barangay leaders to establish their respective material recovery facilities in order to reduce the volume of garbage coming from households.
The mayor also said there is a need to educate the people on how to segregate waste.
“We need the cooperation of barangay officials in educating the people on the proper handling of waste,” Morales said. (Reynaldo G. Navales)
Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pampanga/local-news/workers-start-clearing-creek-garbage