In Bulacan, pollution whistleblowers rewarded with jobs

SAN JOSE DEL MONTE CITY, Philippines—The provincial government has rewarded with jobs and cash awards three plant workers who leaked video footage which confirmed that a chemical waste treatment facility here had been polluting local waterways.

The video evidence led to the shutdown of the plant of Cleveland and Envirotech Solutions on July 8.

The government withheld the identities of the three whistleblowers. The workers were not terminated by Cleveland Solutions but they  decided not to return to their old jobs, the Inquirer was told.

Mayor Reynaldo San Pedro said one of the workers was hired by the Bulacan provincial environment and natural resources office (Penro) at the provincial capitol in Malolos City. The two others were hired by private companies.

The three informed officials of Barangay Maharlika that their firm, which operates in Barangay Tunggkong Mangga, had allegedly been disposing of toxic materials through a drainage that leads to a creek in Maharlika village. The same creek connects to the Bocaue River.

Lormelyn Claudio, Central Luzon director of the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), and Governor Wilhelmino Sy-Alvarado padlocked the facility last week.