SC to convene panel overseeing Manila Bay cleanup
Credit to Author: Tempo Desk| Date: Sun, 20 Jan 2019 11:30:59 +0000
A GROUP of friends watch the world famous sunset at Manila Bay. (Rio Leonelle Deluvio)
The Supreme Court is set to convene its committee to monitor the implementation of its 2008 decision that directed practically all government agencies, including those in law enforcement, to speed up the cleanup, restoration, and preservation of Manila Bay.
Court Administrator and Spokesman Jose Midas P. Marquez said Sunday the convening of the committee is in line with President Duterte’s approval of a seven-year plan to cleanup Manila Bay.
Efforts to cleanup Manila Bay will cost the government about P47 billion which may be sourced out from the road user’s tax upon abolition of the Road Board.
The SC had created an advisory committee to monitor and verify the compliance by government agencies in the Manila Bay cleanup.
The committee is headed by the now retired Justice Presbitero J. Velasco Jr. with Marquez as vice chairman. The other members of the committee at the time of its creation were former Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Dr. Elisea Gozun, former DENR Undersecretary and Dean of the Ateneo School of Government Antonio G.M. La Vina, and former director of the UP Marine Science Institute Dr. Gil Jacinto.
Marquez said a new committee chairman may have to be appointed with Velasco’s retirement last August.
Then Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno had ordered an inventory of all environment cases pending in the 117 trial courts designated as “green courts” to determine what other judicial measures are needed for their speedy resolution.
Among the laws involving the environment are the Revised Forestry Code (Presidential Decree No. 705), Marine Pollution (PD 979), Toxic Substances and Hazardous Waste Act (Republic Act No. 6969), People’s Small-Scale Mining Act (RA 7076), National Integrated Protected Areas System Act (RA 7586), Philippine Mining Act (RA 7942), Indigenous People’s Rights Act (RA 8371), Philippine Fisheries Code (RA 8550), Clean Air Act (RA 8749), Ecological Solid Waste Management Act (RA 9003), National Caves and Cave Resources Management Act (RA 9072), Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act (RA 9147), Chainsaw Act (RA 9175), and Clean Water Act (RA 9275).
“The SC committee on the Manila Bay Cleanup should convene soon in accordance with the earlier Resolution to strengthen the resolve to clean Manila Bay,” Marquez said.
“The seven-year rehabilitation plan is good news to the Court because it appears complementary to the continuing mandamus it issued in 2008. The Manila Bay cleanup must really be a concerted effort by all concerned agencies in the three branches of government,” he said.
The December 2008 decision on the Manila Bay cleanup was written by Velasco. (Rey Panaligan)