Environmental sector acts to protect Tumaga River

• Source: http://zamboangatimes.ph/top-news/23177-environmental-sector-acts-to-protect-tumaga-river.html
• Saturday, March 17, 2018

By REMUS ONG

Environment specialists are formulating an action plan to save the Tumaga River, identified as a water quality management area by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR.)

The action plan involves connecting Tumaga River and all other rivers to the watershed area to provide potable water to consumers.

Dr. Eduardo Bizquera Jr. of the Office of the City Environment and Natural Resources (OCENR,), however, said that problems exist downstream due to deterioration on the quality of water caused by pollution and garbage from adjoining residential areas.

“A policy should be put in place to look into the case of this wetland,” Bizquera said.

He said that both the executive and legislative departments are trying to come up with an environment code based on national and local laws to protect such areas.

“A draft was already submitted to the City Mayor and the City Legal Office and eventually, we want to see it being adopted by the Sangguniang Panlungsod in the form of an ordinance,” said Bizquera.

Bizquera’s revelations were made during the press conference for the Mindanao Conference on Wetlands held at the Palacio del Sur yesterday.

The event was organized by the Ateneo de Zamboanga University.