CHIZ BACKS CALL TO STOP DUMPING OF TRASH IN MARIKINA RIVER

Opposition Senator Chiz Escudero is supporting the call of environmental groups to urge the Marikina City government to clean up the Nangka riverside of the debris that was left by typhoon Ondoy.

"It is the duty of the city to get rid of the garbage in the river. This could have more tragic consequences if the river is still clogged with waste when a new storm arrives," he said.

According to the EcoWaste Coalition, the city violated environmental laws when Marikina decided to place the mud and debris on the side of the river to clear roads that were blocked due to the typhoon.

The 40-year-old lawmaker cited the report from the group which quoted information from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) that a 50 - meter portion of the Nangka River has been reduced to three meters because of the seemingly "authorized" disposal of garbage.

"I fear that with the simultaneous storms that have been hitting the country in recent months, this would further cause more floods not only in Marikina, but neighboring cities as well. It is imperative that the city government must find an alternative way to get rid of its waste without endangering the river," he said.

He added that if these actions were really allowed by local officials, they would have clearly violated the Clean Water Act and the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.