...the model river

Marikina River used as model for anti-toxic waste campaign

By Alexander Villafania,
loQal.ph
18 April 2011


MARIKINA CITY, METRO MANILA – As part of a global campaign for the World Water Day on March 22, environmental group Greenpeace and several officials of local government units in Metro Manila converged at the Marikina River to issue a call to protect Metro Manila’s waterways from toxic waste.

Marikina River is being used as a “poster child” for the destruction of natural body of water due to industrial, commercial, residential wastes. Several municipalities, including Quezon City and Pasig, share the river for various purposes such as transporting goods to other areas.

The Marikina River is one of the larger waterways that connect to the Pasig River and is also a major tributary of Laguna de Bay, which is also supplies nearby cities with fresh fish.

Clogging of Marikina River due to improper waste disposal is also one of the major causes of flooding during rains as accumulated water spills over low-lying areas in Marikina and other cities.

Greenpeace took some water samples in Marikina River and were labeled with questions like “What’s in the water?” “Who is responsible?” “Who will clean?” “Who will protect?” and “Is this the present? Is this the future?”

In a statement, Greenpeace Southeast Asia Toxics Campaigner Francis Joseph Dela Cruz said taking water samples is symbolic of what the government should do in protecting the country’s waterways from destruction.

He said efforts must be made to clean up rivers from hazardous materials, which is also affecting ecological balance of nearby localities.

“On World Water Day, we are also launching partnerships to advocate for the institutionalization of the community-right-to-know about the composition of industrial effluents into bodies of water.”

“The advocacy calls for the creation of local ordinances that would establish Pollution Release and Transfer Registers (PRTRs) in relevant LGUs that would then be able to monitor more efficiently the chemical make-up of emissions coming from industrial establishments into bodies of water,” Dela Cruz said.

Present during the activities were Marikina City Mayor Del De Guzman and Quezon City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte.