MANILA, Philippines — Ninety-five local government units within the Manila Bay watershed failed to comply with environmental laws, the Department of the Interior and Local Government said Thursday.
The 95 make up the 53 percent of the 178 LGUs from Metro Manila, Central Luzon and Calabarzon within the Manila Bay watershed area.
DILG did not identify the LGUs but it said that out of the 95 LGUs that failed the assessment, 56 were from Central Luzon, 37 from Calabarzon and two from Metro Manila.
These LGUs will not face complaints just yet as the agency will first assist them with compliance — prioritizing the 16 LGUs with the worst problems.
“Based on our assessment, we still have a lot of work to do and we intend to start with these 16 LGUs as we go along assisting all of 178,” DILG Secretary Eduardo Año said.
But DILG chief warned that those who will not cooperate with the agency’s efforts to rehabilitate Manila Bay might face cases before the Ombudsman or disciplinary action from the president.
“So we challenge all LGUs to shape up. We need them to fight and win the Battle for Manila Bay,” Año said.
Manila Bay became the government’s “next big target” after the rehabilitation of Boracay. The government’s cleanup of the polluted bay kicked off last January 27.