Piggeries poison Cebu City rivers

MANILA, Philippines —  The Cebu City Environmental and Natural Resources Office (CCENRO) has reported that piggery raising is contributing to the waste in Cebu City rivers, following a recent conclusion that the coliform count in all city rivers has increased.

This information comes from a CCENRO report dated September 6, 2024, which was transmitted to the City Council during the regular session on Wednesday, September 18, 2024.

On July 16, 2024, CCENRO first transmitted a report prepared by Engr. Myka Marie Llanos and endorsed to the City Council by CCENRO Officer-in-Charge Reymarr Hijara. Following this report, the council noted the “alarming” rise in coliform counts in all seven rivers in the downstream portion of Cebu City.

The report highlighted that the fecal coliform population has reached 13,000,000 MPN/100ml, which is 3,249,000 percent above the limit of 400 MPN/ml. Consequently, none of the seven rivers in Cebu City met the highest water quality standards.

According to CCENRO, the high levels of fecal coliform are attributed to waste generated by residents living along the riverbanks.

“Before the situation escalates further, CCENRO has been continuously addressing this concern through various actions. The Septage Section prioritizes daily inspections of every house along the water bodies,” reads the letter from CCENRO.

CCENRO also mentioned that it is conducting house-to-house information drives to implement Section 6 of C.O. 2398, also known as the Septage Ordinance, which requires residents to obtain a Septic Tank Permit.

Section 26 No. 11 of C.O. 2398 stipulates that the Septage Inspector will issue a citation for the violation of not having a toilet or septic tank.

The CCENRO noted that although each citation carries corresponding fines, violations continue to recur due to the lack of space for constructing septic tanks.

It emphasized the need to amend C.O. 2398 to include specific regulations for hog and poultry raising, which may have been previously overlooked.

“To resolve the issue, CCENRO is looking forward in the realization of COMMUNAL toilets which are to be funded by the City Government,” it said.

This conclusion followed a site visit to the highlands, where it was discovered that piggery operations significantly contribute to water pollution in Cebu City.

 According to CCENRO’s study, a single pig produces 5.9 kilograms of manure daily, which is substantially more than the 250 grams of waste produced by a human each day.

The CCENRO revealed that some hog operators were "secretly disposing of animal waste" directly into creeks and other bodies of water through underground PVC pipes.

“Naturally in times of floods there would be tremendous volumetric flow of such waste down the lowlands polluting the rivers contributing to the Faecal Counts,” the report further reads.

The report included photos from site visits showing pig waste being directed into creeks.

These images depicted stagnant pig waste in a small creek in Barangay Bonbon, pipes from piggeries leading to the Kinalumsan River in Barangay Tisa, and a pigpen septic tank beside a creek in Barangay Adlaon, with an outlet at the bottom where septic waste flows out.

“We are one in our reverie and intention to promote the right to health of the people and to protect and preserve the environment but as a growing city, many social concerns are affecting the rise of informal settlers and possibly settling at the edge of the waters of Cebu City,” reads the letter of CCENRO signed by Hijara.

In light of these findings, the CCENRO is seeking assistance from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to ensure barangay leaders actively monitor and address these issues in their respective areas.