Interior Secretary Eduardo Año (File photo by NOY MORCOSO / INQUIRER.net)
MANILA, Philippines —Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año has ordered the mayors of 178 cities and towns inside the Manila Bay Watershed Area to revoke the business permits of establishments polluting the bay.
Año issued a memorandum directing mayors of all local government units (LGUs) in the National Capital Region, Central Luzon, and Calabarzon to ensure that all establishments in their areas comply with the provisions of the National Building Code, Fire Code, Code on Sanitation, and other related policies, said Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya of the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
In a statement Tuesday, Malaya said Año’s memorandum directed “all LGUs [to] revoke or cancel permits of establishments found to have committed violations and/or are non-compliant with environmental and other applicable laws.”
Malaya also said that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) started the inspection of commercial establishments on January 27 to ensure their compliance with environmental laws.
“They have issued Cease and Desist Orders and Notices of Violations to various establishments. All concerned LGUs should immediately act on the findings of the DENR and LLDA and revoke or suspend the business permits they have issued, as maybe applicable,” he said.
“The Supreme Court has ruled that a business permit is subject to the regulation of the State and may therefore be revoked or withdrawn if there is cause to do so,” Malaya said, citing that a business or mayor’s permit is not a right but a privilege given by the state.
Malaya said the DILG was closely monitoring the LGUs and would call the attention of those not contributing to the cleanup effort. /cbb
RELATED STORIES
DILG orders LGUs, barangays to help in Manila Bay clean-up drive
DILG: Metro Manila mayors support Manila Bay rehab