BAGUIO CITY – Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan ordered the concerned departments of the local government to conduct the massive clearing of the city’s sewerage system to prevent the obnoxious odor emanating from the sewer lines, especially during the conduct of the highlights of the 23rd edition of Panagbenga or the Baguio flower festival.
The local chief executive said that he had been receipt of numerous text messages from concerned residents regarding the foul odor emanating from the city’s sewerage system, particularly those located in the central business district area over the past several days, thus, the need for the concerned departments to inspect the said sewer lines and do the appropriate clearing activities.
“We have to make sure that residents and visitors attending the highlights of the flower festival should not be inconvenienced by the foul odor emanating from the city’s sewer lines while they are enjoying the festive mood,” Domogan stressed.
On the other hand, he also called on the owners of food establishments not to dispose their used oil directly to the city’s sewer system to prevent it from solidifying which is the identified source of the obnoxious odor that emanate from the said lines when clogged resulting to the inconvenience of the public who pass by the said affected areas.
According to him, it is important for the establishment owners to abide by the policy of the local government for the installation of grease traps in their sinks to prevent the direct flow of used oil to the city’s sewer lines.
City Environment and Parks Management Officer Cordelia Lacsamana said that the city’s personnel will conduct surprise inspections on the compliance of food establishments around the city to this policy in line with existing sanitation rules and regulations.
She claimed it is unfortunate there are establishment owners who simply comply with the installation of grease traps in their sinks during inspections but after that, unscrupulous businessmen eventually remove the grease traps to allow the direct flow of used oil to the city’s main sewer lines.
Lacsamana warned erring establishment owners that the local government will impose the appropriate fines once the CEPMO personnel uncover the malpractice of directly disposing their used oil to the city’s sewer systems and that there will be the frequent surprise inspections for the city.
Aside from disposing their used oil to the city’s sewer system, Lacsamana admitted that other food establishments also dispose their used oil to the city’s drainage system which is in gross violation of the standards of health and sanitation imposed by the concerned offices of the local government, thus, the need for utmost cooperation from the establishment owners because what is at stake will be the state of the environment of the city.
By Dexter A. See
