Duterte warns to shut down establishments along Manila Bay if they continue to violate environmental laws

January 8, 2019

President Rodrigo Duterte warned on Tuesday the establishments, including hotels, along Manila Bay that they could face closure if they violate environmental laws.

This as Duterte ordered Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu and Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Ano to lead the efforts in rehabilitating the heavy polluted Manila Bay.

"Place water treatment, otherwise I will order their closure," he said.

Duterte said he did not care if tourist arrivals would be affected if non-compliant hotels would be shut down.

"You do something about your waste there, otherwise we will close it," he stressed.

During the Cabinet meeting on Monday, Cimatu made a presentation about the plan to cleanup Manila Bay after an interagency task force, including the Department of Environment and Natural Resources closed and rehabilitated Boracay for six months last year.

In an earlier press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the government needs P47 billion to rehabilitate Manila Bay. Celerina Monte/DMS