DOH DID ITS JOB IN MANILA BAY CLEANUP

From: DOH WebPage


The Department of Health (DOH) today belied allegations that the agency is not complying with the Supreme Court (SC) decision concerning the Manila Bay cleanup.

Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III said that on May 5 this year, the DOH reported to the Department of Environment & Natural Resources that it has issued a memorandum (dated February 2, 2009) to all directors of the DOH-Centers for Health Development nationwide regarding the requirement of the SC decision.

“I directed them to undertake necessary actions to ensure the strict compliance of all septic and sludge companies as require by the Code on Sanitation of the Philippines,” Duque said.

The health chief also said that a meeting with Sanitation Officers/Heads of all local government units (LGUs) and septic tank desludging operators in Metro Manila was conducted on March 31, 2009 to orient them on the DOH rules and regulations governing the collection, handling, transport, treatment, and disposal of domestic sludge and septage.

“During the meeting, we requested the LGUs present to monitor the operators to make sure that the instructions have been followed to the letter,” Duque stressed.

Duque said that under the SC decision, the DOH is directed to determine if all licensed septic tank and sludge companies have the proper facilities for the treatment and disposal of fecal sludge coming from septic tanks.

Duque also reported that septic tanks of Metro Manila residences are being cleaned by the Maynilad Water Services, Inc. (MWSI) and the Manila Water Company, Inc. (MWCI) on a regular basis with the collected sludge from the septic tanks treated and disposed in their treatment facilities.

“All regional health offices, in coordination with local government units, are monitoring private desludging operators and require them to secure the Environmental Sanitation Clearance from the DOH,” Duque assured.

The DOH urges the public to tap only legitimate septic tank desludging operators, such as MWSI and MWCI, to service their septic tanks.