MANILA–The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Monday said that it will ensure that all barangay (village) officials, including the newly-elected ones, will be actively involved in the protection of the environment and natural resources in their areas of jurisdiction.
“I will be issuing a memorandum for the creation of Barangay Council for the Protection of Environment and Natural Resources,” said DILG Undersecretary Martin Diño in an interview.
Diño said the memorandum will ensure that no clearance for building permits will be secured in the barangay level for the operation of new businesses or construction of houses without checking first if there is fully operational septic tank and sewerage system in these establishments.
“Hindi pwede yung dumi ng tao ay didiretso sa kanal. Tsine-check dapat ni barangay captain yan at ng mga kagawad (Human wastes should not be going directly to canal. It is the duty of the barangay captain and barangay councilmen to check them),” he said.
He added that barangay officials should not commit the same mistakes done in the past by some barangay officials in destroying the environment, similar to what happened to the world-renowned Boracay Island.
“Kagaya ng nangyari sa Boracay, kasalanan ng kapitan. Dapat inayos nila ang estero at sewerage system sa kanilang barangay (Just like what happened in Boracay, it was the fault of the barangay captain. They should have fixed the drainage and sewerage system in their barangay),” he said.( /PNA)
