Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto warned establishments to comply with the city’s environmental policies to help reduce water pollution and ensure the health and safety of their employees and customers.

On his social media page, Sotto shared that the local government closed the branch of a fast-food chain located at the Victoria Building in Barangay Kapasigan, Pasig City on Thursday, Jan. 12.

Upon inspection, the fast food chain did not have an Environmental Permit to Operate (EPO).

The local government also saw that the drain pipes of the fast food chain were filled with thick sebum and waste water that flowed out directly to Parian Creek.

“Maaari silang magbukas ulit kapag naayos na ang kanilang waste water treatment at may EPO na (They can re-open when their waste water treatment is fixed and they have secured an EPO),” Sotto said.

The local government, along with the engineering department, sanitation office, and the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO), have conducted various cleanup and dredging operations of the city’s small waterways like creeks and canals in 2022.

These cleanup activities are being done through the daily Oplan Kaayusan (OK) operations where Sotto and other government officials visit residents door-to-door to meet the needs of the 30 barangays of Pasig City.

“Sayang lang ang paglilinis natin ng mga sapa kung hindi tayo susunod sa mga regulasyong pang-kalikasan (Our efforts in cleaning our creeks will be wasted if we don’t follow our environmental regulations),” Sotto stressed.

According to Pasig City Ordinance No. 9, series of 2003, all owners and operators of business, industrial, commercial, or agricultural establishments and buildings have to undergo an environmental inspection in order to secure an EPO.

“An EPO will only be issued after compliance with environmental requirements from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA), CENRO, and other government agencies,” read the ordinance.