Gibraltar creek clean-up ordered due to trash, odor

By Eileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY – Mayor Mauricio Domogan on Wednesday ordered the immediate clean-up of the creek at Gibraltar barangay after the Environment and Management Bureau Cordillera Administrative Region (EMB-CAR) reported the presence of garbage floating and foul odor emanating from the stream.

In a letter, the mayor directed the punong barangays of Gibraltar, Lualhati and Pacdal to immediately form a task force to clear the creek of garbage and to stop the operation of piggeries that directly discharge their wastes to the water body.

Personnel from the General Services Office, City Health Services Office and the City Environment and Parks Management Office will join the task force in the operations.

In his letter to punong barangays Nemesio Huag of Gibraltar, Julius Ampal of Lualhati and Abraham Lagasca II of Padcal, the mayor warned that inaction might result to the filing of cases not only against the operators of piggeries without septic tanks and directly discharging waste to the creek but also against the barangay chairmen and even the mayor himself.

“(The letter from EMB-CAR Officer-in-Charge Regional Director Reynaldo Digamo) further said that Secretary Roy Cimatu of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources will be here this coming February and as he had been doing in other places, he is so particular with illegal disposal of wastes and clean water of creeks and rivers,” the mayor warned.

He sought the barangay heads’ immediate compliance and cooperation. 

Digamo earlier praised the city government for doing its part in addressing problems on water and air pollution and solid wastes.