Bill seeks penalties vs dumping of wastes into sea

MANILA, Philippines - A six-year jail term and a P500,000 fine await those who dump industrial waste into the sea, if a bill now pending at the House of Representatives is passed into law. Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, who filed House Bill 4105, said the harsher penalties aim to protect marine resources in the country. "The dumping of wastes directly into the ocean pollutes our seawaters, harmfully affecting our rich marine resources," Rodriguez said. Dubbed as the "Sea Dumping Ban Act," the bill seeks to promote the natural balance of the environment for the protection of human health and safety. It imposes a fine on violators of between P50,000 and P500,000, or imprisonment of between three months and six years, or both at the court's discretion. Rodriguez pushed for the immediate passage of the bill, stressing that the dumping of untreated sewage has already resulted in the pollution of coastal waters. He said it has also led to an increase in the incidence of red tide, rendering seafood unsafe for human consumption. "The dumping of sewage sludge and industrial wastes threatens the health not only of the Filipino people, but also of marine life," he said. Under the bill, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will provide a monitoring report, accounting the discharges in the waters of the territorial sea, economic zone and ocean. This will be done in consultation with the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC). "The country's rich marine ecosystem is severely threatened by pollution from diverse sources and it is the government's duty to double its efforts at protecting our marine resources," Rodriguez said. - GMANews.TV