Garbage preventing floods from receding - Atienza
MANILA - Tons of non-biodegradable garbage and water lilies are keeping floodwaters contained in various areas in Metro Manila, Environment Secretary Lito Atienza said Thursday, as he stressed the need to strictly implement the waste management law.
"This [effects of tropical storm Ondoy] should be a wake up call. We must change our ways. Dispose of your garbage properly," Atienza said in an interview with ABS-CBN's Umagang Kay Ganda.
He said drainage systems in Manila are clogged with non-biodegradable garbage. He added that water lilies from Laguna de Bay and Pasig River are also preventing floodwaters from receding.
"There are obstructions in the natural drainage. Water from Laguna de Bay is not flowing because of water lilies and fish pens. Technically, it should flow to Pasig River and then to Manila Bay and to the South China Sea," Atienza explained, adding that if garbage were only properly disposed, floodwaters could have receded as soon as rains stopped pouring last Saturday.
He said President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, through the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), is urging all local governments to strictly enforce Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.
He added that he has ordered the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) to prevent the reconstruction of fish cages in the Laguna de Bay that were destroyed during the storm's onslaught.
Officials said 90 percent of Pateros and 53 percent of Taguig remain in chest-deep floodwaters. Several areas near Pasig River, including Rizal and Pasig City, and areas in Laguna province were still flooded, as of posting.
The government's relief operations have also been hampered by stagnant floodwaters, particularly in Pasig City and Rizal towns.
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Opportunist
I would like to react on the interview made by Neil Ocampo to Lito "The Opportunist" Atienza yesterday. Mr. Ocampo asked Atienza if "nung panahon niya as Mayor of Manila nangyari ang malalang pagbaha". Natural na sasabihin ni Atienza na hindi nangyayari ang ganyang pagbaha nung time niya. Mr. Atienza wag ka na maging opportunista, tumulong ka nalang sa mga nasalanta sa Manila. At bakit Manila lang? As a Cabinet Member, hindi lang dapat isang lugar lang ang inaalagaan mo but the whole Philippines. Halatang nagsisimula ka nang mangampanya at ginagamit mo lang ang mga interview ng media sa iyo para bumango ka sa mga taga Maynila. Im not from Manila, di ko lang ma take ang mga opportunista. Ang yabang mo tuwing may interview ka sa radyo, kesyo mag dedemanda kung sino sino kung hindi nila ginagawa ang trabaho nila. Ikaw ba ginagawa mo ba ang trabaho mo? Hindi isang Manny Pacquio ang magbabalik sa iyo sa Manila City Hall kung hindi mga resident ng Manila. I believe voters from Manila are not stupid to believe on your antics.
What's your plan Atienza???
So they identified the problem. What now? Is there a plan to unclog those garbages so flood waters could be drained? This is what we need to hear. Is there a solution to the problem or we just wait for weeks or months for the floods to recede?
Atienza is just a noisy Trapo!
Why is Atienza stressing what everybody already knows, now that Filipinos have died? If you read his statements, he is just in effect detaching himself from the problem (isn't this an environment concern; a basic function of a DENR secretary?).
"He said President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, through the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), is urging all local governments to strictly enforce Republic Act 9003..."
The quote above is a description of a totally incompetent trapo:
1. "urging" is never an action of competent leaders- nobody follows such weak lip service.
2. mentioning Gloria Macapal's name does not help- it is like "sa pakikipagtulungan ng ating magiting na pangulo..."- [they are equally liable for the deaths and destruction, like teodoro and bayani].
Our beaucracy is flooded with incompetent trapos or incompetent ex-military or police generals.