DENR more aggressive in implementing environmental laws

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has made a commitment to be more aggressive in enforcing environmental laws this year. The government agency wants to sustain momentum after the successful rehabilitation of Boracay Island.

Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu said he hopes to send a strong message to environmental offenders and to the public — that they are serious in implementing environmental laws, rules, and regulations.

The next big target

With Boracay’s rehabilitation as the centerpiece of DENR’s accomplishments in 2018, the agency is keen on achieving more this year.

Cimatue said that Boracay’s success has prompted demands to have the rehabilitation of Manila Bay as its “next big target” and that DENR is up for the challenge.

“We are putting up a Manila Bay command center, we will get the local government units more involved,” Cimatu said.

He stressed that DENR will be aggressive in enforcing environmental laws, especially against the discharge of untreated wastewater into the bay.

The water quality in Manila Bay still has not improved a decade after a Supreme Court mandamus for its cleanup was issued.