The Pollution Adjudication Board (PAB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) yesterday morning ordered the closure of all sources of wastewater from Puerto Princesa City’s sanitary landfill (SLF) in Barangay Sta. Lourdes.
In its Notice to Public installed at the SLF’s administration building, the order states that all sources of wastewater, faucet, kitchen sink, grease traps, lavatory, sewer lines, outlet pipes of the SLF are closed for violations committed against Republic Act 9275 also known as the Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004.
The disposal facility’s Discharge Permit issued by EMB is also suspended until such time that the violation is corrected.
“Discharge of wastewater and sewage during this period of closure is unlawful,” the order states.
The order was served at the Office of the City Administrator at around 10am. Afterward, the DENR-EMB MIMAROPA personnel headed by Senior Environmental Management Specialist Nicole Yuri Dorado and officers and personnel from the city government of Puerto Princesa proceeded to the SLF for installation of the tarpaulin with the Notice to the Public.
They also put markings and tape as sealed to ensure that the SLF’s Leacheate Treatment Plant (LTP) and other wastewater sources within the facility will not discharge any liquid wastes towards the river.
The DENR-EMB personnel also affixed their signatures to the markings.
PAB is under the Office of the DENR Secretary. The Board is composed of the Environment Secretary as Chairman, two (2) Undersecretaries as maybe designated by the Secretary, the Director of the EMB and three (3) others to be designated by the Secretary as members.
The board assumed the powers and functions of the Commission/Commissioners of the National Pollution Control Commission with respect to the adjudication of pollution cases under Republic Act 3931 and Presidential Decree 984.