Operation in all offices of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in the National Capital Region (NCR) is temporarily suspended as an employee of the agency tested positive for COVID-19 today.
The DENR said it must conduct disinfection and sanitation in all of its offices in the NCR before they resume.
The agency promised it would help the said employee who was affected by the virus.
Due to the temporary suspension, the scheduled testing of Manila Bay’s water has been delayed. The laboratory test will be handled by the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) for the meantime.
Meanwhile, the DENR has already figured out the origin of the said chemical that caused Manila Bay’s discoloration.
As the agency’s cleanup drive in drainages, rivers, and the bay itself continues amid the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine, the DENR has expressed dismay over residents who still throw garbage in Manila Bay.
The DENR also warned it will not hesitate to file cases against people who keep throwing trash in the bay. – Report from Louisa Erispe
