Radaza vows to check cause of water pollution

CEBU, Philippines — Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza yesterday vowed to look into the real cause of Mactan Island seawaters’ contamination and may order the demolition of illegal structures along her city’s coastline that may have contributed to the pollution.

Speaking to reporters at a press conference, Radaza said she suspects that these informal settlers, who mostly live in stilt houses on the shores, may have discharged their wastes into the sea.

This despite the fact that the city government is providing communal toilets for free, an existing project of the City Health Office.

“As you all know, daghan man mi’g informal settlers. I don’t know if this is one of the factors kay mao na’y among gitan-aw karon. The reason why I go from one informal settlers area (to another) kay pag-review for demolition,” Radaza said.

She made the remarks after the Environmental Management Bureau-7 said the seawaters off Mactan Island are contaminated with fecal coliform, a type of bacteria commonly found in animal and human feces.

While the city has started demolishing illegal structures along the coastline, Radaza said the city will further identify other areas that are illegally occupied by locals.

Of the 30 barangays in the city, at least five barangays have been identified to be hosting illegal settlers: Ibo, Pusok, Poblacion, Pajo, and Mactan. More or less 1,000 informal settlers live in these five barangays.

EMB-7 Director William Cuñado earlier said the seawater samples collected in March showed an average of at least 200 most probable number (MPN) of fecal coliform per 100mL. The figure surpasses the national standard of 100 MPN per 100mL that has been set for bodies of water intended for swimming.

Cuñado, however, was quick to say that the number is “not as significant” compared to the findings in other beaches in the country where the coliform levels reach thousands.

Although not alarming, Radaza said the city government will not take chances and find the real cause of contamination.

“We'll get into the bottom of this ngano naa’y fecal coliform during the examination,” she said.

Radaza said she has created a task force responsible for cleaning the beaches that consists of the City Environment and Natural Resources Office, City Heath Office, City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, and City Tourism Office.

Along with these offices, personnel from the Material Recovery Facility will also help in cleaning the coastal areas, including wharfs, while Clean and Green Office workers will maintain cleanliness on the mainland.

Radaza said she has also directed the CDRRMO to do weekly underwater cleanups and the CHO to conduct water sampling in coordination with the CTO.

Apart from public beaches, the city government, through the CHO, also examines the water at private resorts and swimming pools, according to Radaza.

“We keep on doing some water examination and even on the swimming pools sa mga resorts and even in public places like mga beach areas,” she said.

Radaza did not also downplay the possibility that the cause of coliform contamination in Mactan’s waters may be coming from areas outside the city.

CENRO agricultural technologist Adelino Padilla earlier speculated that the water currents may have carried garbage and microbial wastes from Lilo-an, Consolacion, and Mandaue City that are facing Mactan Island.

‘Explain standard’

Radaza, meanwhile, wants the EMB-7 to explain how they came up with the standard — 100 MPN of fecal coliform per 100mL of sample — in assessing water quality.

Ever since she sat as mayor, Radaza said the city has been following a different standard.

“Ang amo nganhi, the usual standard ana is 1,000. Kung moabot na gani na og 500 above, we immediately send a letter to the resort that they should do something kay mao na inyong kadagatan. Then two weeks after, we do examination again (sa ilahang beaches),” she said.

“Di kaayo ko well-versed ani. Di kaayo na nako ma-explain. Since the time naglingkod ko as mayor, ang mga forms nga ako madawat (sa office), ang standard is 1,000. Magpaeksplikar gyud ta ana,” she added.

The FREEMAN tried to reach Cuñado for his comments on Radaza’s statements last night but he did not return the calls and text messages. —/JMD (FREEMAN)