BAGUIO CITY – The City Environment and Parks Management Office (CEPMO) recently recommended for the immediate stoppage of operation of a piggery in barangay Camp 7, particularly near the view deck, because of the serious threat it poses to the environment and the health of the people within its environs.
In an inspection report of Engr. Sofronio Pascua, Engineer II of the CEPMO’s wastewater, water and ambient air management division, the enclosed area subject of a verbal complaint of concerned residents where continuous burning of waste had been done is a piggery owned by a San Vicente punong barangay Alfredo Cong-o.
Pascua reported that the waste of the still undetermined number of pigs is being allegedly discharged directly to the creek tributary to the Bued river which may contaminate the existing spring water used by the nearby residents for their domestic and agriculture water supply.
“There were also garbage dumped in the creek causing contamination,’ Pascua stated in his report.
Pascua revealed a truck full of hauled mixed waste is dumped in the said enclosed area every morning following the discovery of traces of scattered waste such as table napkins, paper plates among others which allegedly come from nearby restaurants.
He claimed his findings in the enclosed area and piggery were allegedly in violation of the provisions of Republic Act (RA) 8749 popularly known as the Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999, RA 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, Ordinance No. 54-88 and Housing Land Use Regulatory board (HLURB) governing rules and regulations on the processing of application for locational clearance for poultry and piggery in urban areas.
Initially, the report recommended for the immediate scheduling of a dialogue with PB Cong-o as the lot owner where the violations were discovered, hog raisers in the nearby barangays, the Environmental Management Bureau – Department of Environment and Natural Resources (EMB-DENR), the Department of Health, HLURB, city health services office, city general services office, city legal office and the CEPMO being the lead office concerned in the implementation of environmental laws, rules and regulations.
Aside from the stoppage of operation of the piggery, Pascual also recommended the stoppage of the reported burning activities and the stoppage of the dumping of waste into the creek leading to the Bued river and relocate the piggery outside the territory of the city.
The aforesaid report was furnished the barangay council of Camp 7, city health services office, city general services office and city legal office for their information, guidance, ready reference and further needed action.
The conduct of the inspection was an offshoot of a verbal complaints from concerned residents of barangay Camp 7 who were reportedly inconvenienced by the operation of the piggery and the continuous burning of mixed waste in the area.
By Dexter A. See