The Negros Oriental Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP), through its committees on Environment and on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, is seeking transparent reporting about the wastewater contamination in the Bais Bay area to keep the provincial government updated.
Board Member Erwin Michael Macias, chairperson of both committees, told the Philippine News Agency Oct. 31 that they were asked to be part of the technical working group (TWG) created on Thursday to thoroughly investigate the incident.
Charlie Fabre, regional director of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Negros Island Region, was identified as the TWG point person, he said.
“We were earlier out of the loop and learned about the incident only through social media until I called for a special session that was attended by an official of the United Robina Corporation (URC) to give us a detailed report on the wastewater spillage from the ethanol plant,” Macias said.
Macias and other provincial government officials on Thursday inspected the 17-hectare lagoon where a portion of its earthen wall collapsed earlier this week, releasing a large volume of spent wash into the sea.
He clarified that the Provincial Board plays a “minor” role in the ongoing investigation, as there are other instrumentalities like the DENR and the Tañon Strait Protected Seascape’s Protected Area Management Board, which play significant and bigger roles.
Macias said they are waiting for the TWG to do all the studies and gather the data before they can also identify what course of action to take to avert future incidents by similar industries or business establishments in the province.
As chair of the committee on local disaster risk reduction, Macias said the outcome of the investigation and the learning experiences from the wastewater spillage will help in their humanitarian response and aid future legislation.
A proposed ordinance relative to the wastewater spillage that has led to fish kill and the displacement of livelihood and businesses in Bais City and Manjuyod will be submitted today, Nov. 3, during the SP’s regular session. ||
