THE 20-YEAR scourge of pollution befallen the communities of Sta. Cruz and Manibaug-Paralaya in Porac and Cutcut in Angeles City became the casus belli for the Pinoy Gumising Ka Movement, led by Ruperto L. Cruz, and its allied organizations, notably the Krusada Kontra Amoy.
A massive march-rally against polluting piggery and poultry farms was held in early September right at the doorstep of the Porac town hall.
Succeeding public hearings and dialogs led to the formation of a monitoring task force which sole accomplishment was the inspection of a single hog farm. That led to greater disappointment among the long suffering residents who now cry to take the polluters and their so-called “protectors in government” to the green courts.
A massive march-rally against polluting piggery and poultry farms was held in early September right at the doorstep of the Porac town hall.
Succeeding public hearings and dialogs led to the formation of a monitoring task force which sole accomplishment was the inspection of a single hog farm. That led to greater disappointment among the long suffering residents who now cry to take the polluters and their so-called “protectors in government” to the green courts.
CAST A curse on the polluters of Sapang Balen Creek in Angeles City – households, meat-processing factories, even the city abattoir – the Most Rev. Pablo Virgilio David, auxiliary bishop of San Fernando, did to arrest the further degradation of the all-but-totally lost waterway.
With the Sagip Sapang Balen Movement he convened, the prelate initiated clean-up campaigns and the taking of sampling from the creek preparatory to the filing of cases against environmental degraders violating the nwly minted Writ of Kalikasan.
THE MacArthur Highway chainsaw massacre was resumed with a vengeance by the Department of Public Works and Highways – backed by the express approval of the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources and the city government of San Fernando, with the Pampanga Chamber of Commerce and Industry cheering on.
No less than a score of fully grown trees were felled anew. Notwithstanding the tree-hugging, rallying efforts of the Save the Trees Coalition.
Former Gov. Eddie T. Panlilio nearly had his legs cut as a chainsaw came between them as he embraced one acacia tree in his futile attempt to save it.
