The Manila Bay Anti-Pollution Task Force (MBAPTF) has begun the process of picking out the "pasaway na polluters (disobedient people who pollute)" of Manila Bay.
This, after Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Usec. Benny D. Antiporda told member-agencies of the task force to "identify erring establishments that continue to pollute the Manila Bay region".
A Facebook post Friday, March 5 by Antiporda's office account showed pictures of the recent MBAPTF meeting where he gave the order.
Receiving the directive were representatives from the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA), DENR offices in Regions 3 and 4A, and the Pasig River Coordinating and Management Office.
"We will deal with them head-on. Aaksyunan na natin ang mga establisments na bago pa man mag-pandemic ay sinabihan na natin ng paglabag pero hanggang ngayon ay ginagawa pa rin ang violations (We will act against the establishments that we gave warning to even before the pandemic began, but continue to commit violations even to this day)," the post quoted Antiporda as saying.
He also required the MBAPTF member-offices to identify issues in connection with pollution in their respective areas of jurisdiction that will serve as basis for future operations of the task force.
The MBAPTF was created via DENR Special Order (SO) No.2021-17 issued on January 26, 2021.