Coliform pollution on Liloan Beach, Cebu

Last Monday, we reported the story of Baby Jean Rose Martorillas who was swept away from the safety of her mother’s arms at the height of a flash flood raging at the Guadalupe River in Cebu City last week. Well, three days later, her lifeless body was found on the shores of Barangay Calawisan in Lapu Lapu City. Because of this incident, there’s a move by the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council (RDCC) to prevent new homeowners from constructing shanties along the riverbanks.

But what about those who are still in grave danger of being swept by a flash flood? Don’t you think that there should be efforts to get them out as a preventive measure in order to save lives? The problem with the people in the government is that, they have accepted the reality that life is cheap and safety isn’t a priority concern, either by the LGUs or the national government.

It is precisely for this reason why I have supported Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s decision not to run in the 2004 elections so that she can be cloaked with the political will to bring forth real changes in our nation and I certainly hope that under her watch… the lives of each individual Filipino would have some kind of value.

Perhaps what the Disaster Council ought to do is to prioritize and identify critical areas where absolutely no one should be allowed to stay. These are the homes that should be evacuated as soon as possible. Their decision to stop new dwellings may prevent other people from being endangered… but it is important for them to move out the people in dire danger now. But does the government really care about the safety and health of our people? I just hope so!

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Now to health concerns. Allow me to give you a report on the pollution of Liloan Beach, which we last wrote on May 16,2003. First of all, we didn’t write on this issue in deference to the untimely death of Lilo-an Vice-Mayor Dodong "Dako" Frasco who died in the United States. He was the mayor of Liloan when this project was implemented and later became vice-mayor.

While we may have been quiet for a few weeks, it didn’t mean to say that we were not doing anything about this problem. So here’s their report given to me in a letter from Mr. Ed Gonzales.

"Dear Bobit,

I am writing you again to provide you more information on the polluted condition of Liloan beach, After your last column on this matter, I was called by an affluent businessman, also an avid environmentalist, who took particular interest in this case. He dispatched some members of the Pollution Control Association of the Philippines (PCAP) to Liloan to take samples of the seawater in the vicinity of the Manila Memorial Park (MMP) culvert outflow, and at the MMP open canal adjacent to their fence. Attached is their report including excerpts from DENR Administrative Order No. 34, Revised Water Usage and Classification/Water Quality Criteria.

A comparative analysis was made under Class SB, Recreational Water Class I. Samples taken were sent to Ostrea Mineral Laboratories in Laguna. From these laboratory tests and the comparative study on the report, you will note that Fecal Coliform, or human and animal waste bacteria, on the beach ranges from 900 parts per million (PPM) to 500 PPM at 50 meters and 100 meters to the South. If I’m not mistaken, these are near the beach house of Cebu City Councilor Gabriel Leyson and Mr. Enrique Aboitiz respectively.

The DENR standard limitation is 200 PPM! At the open canal of MMP, the Total Coliform is 80,000 PPM and Fecal Coliform is 17,000 PPM! Aside from the human and animal waste that is carried with the flooding rainwater, there is little doubt that the housing development that has sprouted along this culvert has tapped their septic tanks overflow into the culvert since there is no other sewage system in Liloan.

Also attached is a copy of a DENR-EMB Investigation Report conducted on Feb. 23,2001 and March 5, 2001 as a result of the complaints of the residents of Barrio Looc, Liloan. The DENR samplings show Fecal Coliform up to 2,200 PPM near the MMP culvert on Looc beach. In spite of all this evidence, the EMB claimed during the May 9,2003 meeting that this is the responsibility of the LGU. Once again, I will ask, why did DENR make such a big fuss about mangroves in Balamban if this is an LGU issue? The Freeman, on page 21, there is an article about a similar case involving FMC in Mandaue.

Here DENR Secretary and Chairperson of the Pollution Adjudication Board (PAB) Elisea C. Gozun states and I quote, "Let me stress that what is important is that any effluent discharged anywhere should meet the DENR standard." So where are we now? Does the DENR have jurisdiction or not?

Needless to say, the mayor and vice-mayor of Liloan have shown poor judgment and no foresight in protecting the health of their constituents and the dwindling number of beach goers–their only public attraction! I would appreciate if you can join us for the scheduled monitoring meeting with MMP and the Liloan LGU scheduled on June 20,2003 at 9 a.m. at their Barangay Hall to hopefully arrive at some solution to this problem. Thank you once again for exposing this environmental injustice to the people of Liloan." – Ed Gonzales

So now, there’s no doubt that the beaches of Liloan is polluted with coliform, which comes from the solid waste of humans and animals. If you already forgot, the whole nation panicked when the media reported excessive coliform found in the pristine white beaches of Boracay. Yes, the government panicked because the tourism industry of Boracay was about to vanish overnight!

But will government give the same concern or attention to Liloan beach because it doesn’t concern foreign tourists? Well, didn’t I just say that life is cheap in this country and that government couldn’t really care? As to the question of Mr. Gonzales on whose jurisdiction this falls, yes the DENR is right that it is the LGU who should enforce policies on solid waste disposal. So the question should be rephrased… what do we do when the LGU refuses to budge?

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For e-mail responses to this article, write to [email protected]. Bobit Avila’s columns can also be accessed through www.thefreeman.com. He also hosts a weekly talk show entitled, "Straight from the Sky" shown every Monday only in Metro Cebu on Channel 15 on SkyCable at 8 p.m.