The House committee on Metro Manila development is keen on transferring some of the functions of the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-Environmental Management Bureau (EMB).
This developed after Engr. Emiterio Hernandez, department manager of LLDA environmental regulations, said they lack adequate manpower to conduct inspection of waste water discharge of various establishments in Metro Manila.
At Tuesday’s House committee hearing, Hernandez said their 20-member staff inspects around 10,000 establishments yearly.
Quezon City 1st District Rep. Winston Castelo proposed that the LLDA delegate some of its functions to the EMB since it is “powerless in most districts and lacks adequate manpower.”
Hernandez said he would inform LLDA General Manager Jaime Medina of the proposal. He also revealed that 40 to 50 percent of the 10,000 establishments covered by the LLDA do not comply with their regulation and still have pending cases.
Quezon City 6th District Rep. Christopher Belmonte assailed these non-compliant establishments whose waste water may pollute bodies of water.
The LLDA, a quasi-government agency with regulatory and proprietary functions, is mandated to “promote, and accelerate the development and balanced growth of the Laguna Lake area and the surrounding provinces, cities, and towns.”
It is also tasked to manage water quality and monitor forest, watershed, river basin related to the River Rehabilitation Program with 36 stations located in the rivers of Marikina, Rizal and Laguna. — Micah Yurielle P. Atienza/Intern, INQUIRER.net