SAVING A RIVER. Mayor pep-talks, bishop takes notes.
Photo by Bong Lacson
ANGELES CITY – “We need to do it. We want to do it. And we are not simply pressured by the Supreme Court mandamus (to do it).”
So said Auxiliary Bishop Pablo Virgilio David of the Sapang Balen Rehabilitation Project (SBRP) launched Wednesday by the city government and “private sector stakeholders” at the Holy Rosary Parish Hall here.
The high court in 2011 ordered national government agencies to start the clean-up of Manila Bay in response to a case filed by concerned citizens.
In that order, the Department of the Interior and Local Government was enjoined to direct all local government units in Metro Manila, Rizal, Laguna, Cavite, Bulacan, Pampanga and Bataan to inspect all factories, commercial establishments, and private homes along the banks of the major river systems in their respective areas of jurisdiction. Rivers in the mentioned areas flow to Manila Bay.
More than a response to that directive, Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan said the SBRP intends “to promote broader public-private partnership to implement a sustained effort to free the Sapang Balen Creek from solid and wastewater pollution.”
Sapang Balen runs through the heart of the city down to San Fernando and the southern towns of Pampanga all the way to Manila Bay.
Initiatives from the local parish to clean the creek were taken up by the city government with the assumption to office of Pamintuan. (See related article in Zona Libre on page 4).
River revival
It was David, in May 2009, that served as convenor to the organization of the parish-based Sagip Sapang Balen Movement (SSBM) intended “to revive the dying river which used to be a haven for aquatic creatures and a beautiful sight to behold for many Angeles folk of old.”
The SSBM thereafter initiated clean-up of the creek mostly undertaken by parish volunteers led by the bishop himself who even cast a curse on the polluters of Sapang Balen.
David said they also engaged the services of private firms to check on the waters of the creek which showed “heavy pollution” with both domestic and industrial wastes.
The bishop pointed to the city slaughterhouse and a meat processing plant as “heavy contributors” to the pollution of Sapang Balen.
In 2010, then new Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan initiated the revitalization of city government efforts to clean Sapang Balen.
Partnering with the SSBM, Pamintuan launched in October 2010 clean-up activities undertaken by volunteers from different sectors on the creek as well as in other city waterways every first Saturday of the month.
The bishop though admitted that the clean-up drive failed for being a “janitorial approach.”
“So, we, who are not from these barangays, cleaned the creek while the residents there merely watched us, even ridiculed and taunted us,” David lamented. “And they went on with their polluting ways.”
He cited as “most significant” the objective of the SBRP to “promote the spirit of environmental stewardship and shared responsibility in protecting our waterway.”
“It is the member of the community that must be at the spearhead of the project,” David said. “Their participation is not a matter of them helping us, but us helping them.”
Village chiefs dared
The bishop cited the pivotal role of barangay chairmen in mobilizing their constituents to the “stewardship mindset.”
“The problem is that many barangay chairmen don’t lead but are rather led,” David said, “afraid of losing votes.”
With the barangay elections coming, “mag-kakasubukan na (you will be tried and tested),” he declared, even as he warned that the parish has already registered itself with the Securities and Exchange Commission as Curia Sancti Rosarii, and therefore can institute legal proceedings against erring barangay leaders.
“There are barangay chairmen who, in exasperation, asked to be sued. This is so they can tell their constituents that they are forced to do what is unpalatable to them,” David said. “Now, if you want to be sued, just tell us.”
“A strong political will” was Pamintuan’s response to the challenge of the bishop.
“Kahit batang magtatapon ng basura ay dadamputin at papanagutin ang kanyang mga magulang (Even children will be apprehended and their parents made to answer for their violation of the law),” the mayor vowed.
The launch was highlighted by a workshop among the barangay chairmen, non-governmental organizations, government agencies, civic and business groups, and fraternities with an action plan for Sapang Balen as output.
