Sometime this week environmental group Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability (IDIS) urged the city government of Davao to take a firm stance on various policies it passed last year.
In a news story published in Edge Davao, IDIS was referring to the “No to Single-Use Plastic Ordinance” and the “Ordinance Regulating Recreational Activities within Watershed Areas”. The first ordinance refers to a world-wide problem of plastic pollution of which Davao has a big contribution, while the second was aimed at protecting Davao’s pristine source of drinking water, particularly the P12-billion Tamugan-Panigan bulk surface water system about to be completed.
IDIS reported that large amounts of non-biodegradable wastes were collected in the vicinity of the watershed by its staff, Bantay Bukid volunteers and some students from the Holy Cross of Calinan. Aside from banned single-use plastics, the volunteers also collected herbicide bottles, face masks, soiled diapers, PET bottles and several used sachets, all endangering to compromise the quality of potable water supply Tamugan will soon discharge from its weirs.
“Despite our persistent call, the number of collected waste is not decreasing,” IDIS complained. Last year, volunteers collected six sacks of mixed wastes, obviously from trekkers, picnickers and other violators who have ignored the restrictions.
IDIS also urged barangay local government units in wastershed areas to strictly monitor recreational and agri-business activities contributing to the pollution of the water supply by abandoning and discarding their garbage into the river indiscriminately.
It can be noted that the Watershed Management Council passed two separate resolution last year. One was a resolution declaring that trekking activities are prohibited in the Watershed Areas of Davao City and the other a resolution adopting the proposed guidelines on the conduct of recreational activities within the watershed areas.
The situation is not hopeless though. City authorities can still do a lot of other things that would put more teeth to the laws and ordinances.
They can strengthen the deputation or deputization of more students and volunteers who would help enforce the laws; and increase the penalties to those found violating the laws.
These can be done by the City Council of Davao which was responsible in passing the watershed ordinance more than a decade ago.
