COMING OUT on the celebration of Earth Day itself, I had the uncanny feeling of some intended timing in the release to the media of the latest story on those Porac piggeries.
Yes, that same one that appeared on Punto!’s page 2 yesterday headlined “6 of 12 Porac piggeries fail pollution standards” datelined Angeles City.
Indeed, what better way to celebrate Earth Day than to show some degree of success, no matter how minute, in combating the degradation of the environment.
So I understand fully the optimism expressed by writer Ding Cervantes in the lead paragraph of the story: “The problem on the decades-old piggery stench that penetrates this city’s downtown and other nearby densely populated areas seems headed for a final solution.”
However, an extreme pessimist – to Dinggoy’s supreme optimism – I fail to see any final solution anywhere in sight yet.
Okay, the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) which conducted an investigation three months back on the pollution emanating from the Porac piggeries has come out with its finding so gloriously screamed in that headline. Again, “6 of 12 Porac piggeries fail pollution standards.”
Furthered our friend Rodgie Pangilinan, chair of the Porac anti-pollution task force: “Of the six erring farms, four had ‘no waste water discharge’ while the other two were noted to have pending cases before the Pollution Adjudication Board.”
So the 12 piggeries covered in the EMB inspection were listed: Greenfield Country Farms, Marson Hog Farm, Select Farm, Logo Farm, and Sta. Cruz Farm, all in Barangay Sta. Cruz; Villa Aida Farm, A-1 Piggery Farm, JC Farm, IO Farm, LTO Farm, and Y-Ten Livestock Farm in Barangay Manibaug-Paralaya.
So which of these were the “six erring farms”?
That they were not identified in the press release is one great disservice not only to the other six piggeries found compliant with anti-pollution standards but moreso to the people that have long been victimized by their offense.
That they were not identified in the press release raised all speculations of non-transparency, if not outright cover-up, on the part of the task force and the Porac municipal officials to whom the EMB report have been submitted.
Yeah, good that friend Rodgie is determined that “regardless of the six piggeries which were found to be complying with anti-pollution standards, his task force has decided to have all the 12 piggeries relocated anyway.”
Yeah, good that the task force is supporting the proposal at the town council to reclassify Barangays Sta. Cruz and Manibaug-Paralaya to a “Class 1 residential area, based on a new comprehensive land use plan.”
Yeah, good that the task force has endorsed the initiative of Councilor Ludi Muli to have Barangay Mitla, the proposed piggery relocation site, declared “livestock zone” where a “central bio digester” will be constructed for all the piggeries.
Good. But still not good enough.
One, somebody’s got to pay for all those violations of anti-pollution standards that have given too much suffering to the people of Sta. Cruz and Manibaug-Paralaya and those of nearby areas in Angeles City.
In the interest of justice, the “six erring farms” have to be exposed to public indignation and penalized – closed permanently when so warranted – for their violations.
Two, the intensity of the pollution problem and its longevity warrant the urgency of a final, definitive solution. The total relocation of the piggeries – with the requisite pollution-abatement facilities at their new site – requires the shortest length of time – phased in weeks, not in years.
Short of doing these, the Porac government and its task force will make the story of the Porac piggeries stink and stench, at the sufferance of the people, for sometime more.
Yes, that same one that appeared on Punto!’s page 2 yesterday headlined “6 of 12 Porac piggeries fail pollution standards” datelined Angeles City.
Indeed, what better way to celebrate Earth Day than to show some degree of success, no matter how minute, in combating the degradation of the environment.
So I understand fully the optimism expressed by writer Ding Cervantes in the lead paragraph of the story: “The problem on the decades-old piggery stench that penetrates this city’s downtown and other nearby densely populated areas seems headed for a final solution.”
However, an extreme pessimist – to Dinggoy’s supreme optimism – I fail to see any final solution anywhere in sight yet.
Okay, the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) which conducted an investigation three months back on the pollution emanating from the Porac piggeries has come out with its finding so gloriously screamed in that headline. Again, “6 of 12 Porac piggeries fail pollution standards.”
Furthered our friend Rodgie Pangilinan, chair of the Porac anti-pollution task force: “Of the six erring farms, four had ‘no waste water discharge’ while the other two were noted to have pending cases before the Pollution Adjudication Board.”
So the 12 piggeries covered in the EMB inspection were listed: Greenfield Country Farms, Marson Hog Farm, Select Farm, Logo Farm, and Sta. Cruz Farm, all in Barangay Sta. Cruz; Villa Aida Farm, A-1 Piggery Farm, JC Farm, IO Farm, LTO Farm, and Y-Ten Livestock Farm in Barangay Manibaug-Paralaya.
So which of these were the “six erring farms”?
That they were not identified in the press release is one great disservice not only to the other six piggeries found compliant with anti-pollution standards but moreso to the people that have long been victimized by their offense.
That they were not identified in the press release raised all speculations of non-transparency, if not outright cover-up, on the part of the task force and the Porac municipal officials to whom the EMB report have been submitted.
Yeah, good that friend Rodgie is determined that “regardless of the six piggeries which were found to be complying with anti-pollution standards, his task force has decided to have all the 12 piggeries relocated anyway.”
Yeah, good that the task force is supporting the proposal at the town council to reclassify Barangays Sta. Cruz and Manibaug-Paralaya to a “Class 1 residential area, based on a new comprehensive land use plan.”
Yeah, good that the task force has endorsed the initiative of Councilor Ludi Muli to have Barangay Mitla, the proposed piggery relocation site, declared “livestock zone” where a “central bio digester” will be constructed for all the piggeries.
Good. But still not good enough.
One, somebody’s got to pay for all those violations of anti-pollution standards that have given too much suffering to the people of Sta. Cruz and Manibaug-Paralaya and those of nearby areas in Angeles City.
In the interest of justice, the “six erring farms” have to be exposed to public indignation and penalized – closed permanently when so warranted – for their violations.
Two, the intensity of the pollution problem and its longevity warrant the urgency of a final, definitive solution. The total relocation of the piggeries – with the requisite pollution-abatement facilities at their new site – requires the shortest length of time – phased in weeks, not in years.
Short of doing these, the Porac government and its task force will make the story of the Porac piggeries stink and stench, at the sufferance of the people, for sometime more.
