Provincial Board Member Nestor Tolentino yesterday called on local government units and concerned stakeholders to focus on solving the problem of toxic waste in Pampanga even as he enjoined his colleagues to support legislations on environmental management.
Tolentino who chairs the Sangguniang Panlalawigan’s committee on environment made this call during Monday’s session of the SP at the provincial capitol.
In his privilege speech, he said that “it is but sad that we find LGUs in the province pointing fingers at each other and passing the blame on a certain issue that concerns the environment.”
The board member was referring to the issue of the source of toxic wastes which pollute the river of Macabebe town as disclosed earlier by Mayor Annette Balgan.
“The Macabebe toxic waste issue must be resolved amicably since local government officials are taking part in a “blame game” that merely imputes inaction and negligence among them.”
“Mayor Balgan is just right in taking a stand and admitting the existence of toxic wastes in her town. It is a bold move from her end as she is saying there is something wrong in her hometown. The fact that she goes out to say that her town’s rivers are choked by toxic wastes is laudable,” he added.
Stressing that Governor Lilia G. Pineda is serious in her programs that concern the environment, Tolentino enjoined his colleagues at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to help the governor in her pro-environment programs and in so doing, help the province as a whole.
“Let us all support the Governor in her priority thrusts of ensuring a healthy populace and environment for our constituents.”
He called on his colleagues to further unite in the fight against solid and liquid wastes by supporting legislations on environmental management.
He emphasized that environmental care is everybody’s concern and enjoined everyone, not just the LGUs involved, to dwell on the solutions of the toxic wastes problem in the province and not on the issues.
“There is an urgent need for us to confront the problem,” he told his fellow legislators.
He said further that he would like to convene a committee hearing with the participation of all concerned municipal environmental management board officers to talk about this matter and other environmental issues seriously.
To this, SP Chair and Vice-Governor Joseller Guiao said that the environment committee hearing be held on Tuesday of next week during which officials of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and other stakeholders at the municipal, provincial and regional level will also be invited.
Environment and Natural Resources Officer (ENRO) Art Punzalan said that he has instructed his technical staff to conduct photo and video documentation of the toxic waste problem in the problem.
“The documentation is expected to be completed this week and we will be providing a copy to the SP,” he assured the SP members. (Pampanga PIO)
