By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
As the enhanced southwest monsoon (habagat) continues to shed light on long-neglected matters, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. made it clear that he will look into addressing these for the remainder of his term.
In a press briefing on Tuesday, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro reiterated the President’s firm orders on the enforcement of “no-build zone” policies by local government units (LGUs).
Usec. Castro urged local chief executives, “Sa LGUs, ipatupad ang ‘no-build zones.’ Siguruhing maayos ang nasasakupan—makipagtulungan para mawala ang mga bara sa daluyan ng tubig—siguruhing nakokolekta ang basura at nailalagay sa tamang tambakan.”
She also explained that the Philippines has several laws and policies intended to address issues such as flooding and climate change, but their effectiveness could be undermined when they are not consistently enforced because of the “palakasan system” or corruption.
The call for stricter implementation of this policy and other related measures comes amid the backdrop of widespread flooding aggravated by waterways clogged with garbage and choked by structures erected by informal settlers.
Recently, several countries such as Nepal, China, Laos, Pakistan, India, and Kenya have experienced inundation due to intense monsoon rains and major storms—further underscoring the need for zero tolerance for governance malpractices as part of the quest to address the worsening impact of climate change.
The Malacañang official likewise reiterated the President’s call on the citizenry to observe proper waste disposal practices and do their part in reducing garbage that ends up in waterways.
Usec. Castro emphasized shared responsibility in her message,“Sa bawat barangay—ipaabot natin na ang bawat residente ay may ambag para mabawasan ang malalang epekto ng climate change—mula sa maayos na pagtatapon ng basura, paglilinis ng kapaligiran, pagtatanggal ng bara sa daluyan ng tubig—hindi ito maliit na bagay.”
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