DENR eyes P200,000 daily fine for Manila Bay polluters

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will impose fines of up to P200,000 per day on establishments found to have contributed to the pollution of Manila Bay, an official said yesterday.

The computation of the penalty will start on the day water sampling is conducted by a team from the agency’s Environmental Management Bureau, DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu said.

He added that they have been continuously identifying establishments that do not comply with the Clean Water Act and will release the list during the launch of the bay’s rehabilitation program on Jan. 27.

“Those that we have initially identified as violators, we are giving them three to four months to address the issue of pollution. Establishments need to put up their own sewerage treatment plants or STPs. They cannot discharge their wastewater in the esteros,” Cimatu said.

He added that after these establishments put up their own STPs, then they can apply for a permit with the DENR, the Department of Tourism and the Department of Interior and Local Government to be able to operate again.