Duterte forms task force to speed up Manila Bay Rehab

MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the creation of a task force that would hasten the rehabilitation and restoration of Manila Bay.
Duterte, through Administrative Order 16 released on Thursday (February 21), formed the task force to ensure the complete restoration, rehabilitation and conservation of Manila Bay’s coastal and marine system.
Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu will chair the task force while the Secretaries of the Department of the Interior and Local Government and Department of Tourism will serve as vice-chairpersons; 13 government agencies will serve as its members.
The task force is mandated to enforce the Code of Sanitation of the Philippines as amended, Republic Act 9275 and Republic Act 9003, to ensure the complete rehabilitation, restoration and conservation of Manila Bay.
It can also require all government facilities and other establishments, including households to immediately connect existing sewage lines to available sewage systems or sewage treatment plants (STPs) or to construct individual STPs, whenever applicable.
The task force can also issue appropriate orders, impose fines, penalties and other administrative sanctions to compel compliance. It can also use engineering and technological interventions to improve the water quality of Manila Bay, such as reducing the coliform level in all river systems and tributaries of Manila Bay.
It is also mandated to prepare a plan to expedite the sanitation programs of LGUs within the Manila Bay region by 2026, ensure that concerned agencies and LGUs will penalize violators of environmental laws, undertake a ‘massive’ information drive to garner public support for Manila Bay clean-up in collaboration with selected government agencies.
It is also tasked to prepare a comprehensive plan for the relocation of informal settlers along the Coast of Manila bay and submit a quarterly report to the Office of the President, detailing its efforts and the LGUs programs.
The efforts and programs to be undertaken by the Task Force will be funded by the existing budget of each member agencies.
“The convergence of the national government agencies and Local Government Units (LGUs) in Manila Bay Region and the active participation of private and public stakeholders, are necessary to facilitate the robust and integrated implementation of all rehabilitation and restoration efforts at the Manila Bay,” the order read. – Robie de Guzman (with reports from Rosalie Coz)