THE Marilao-Meycauayan-Obando (MMO) River System—tagged recently as one of the world’s dirtiest—finally faces rehabilitation with the help of the environment department, local government units (LGUs), other concerned government agencies and private institutions.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) spearheaded the river system’s rehabilitation following Environment Secretary Lito Atienza’s declaration that the river system is a water-quality management area. Such classification ensures the implementation of an integrated action program to ensure the rehabilitation of the water system.

The activity has the full support of the provincial government of Bulacan and mayors of the towns through which the river traverses.

Atienza, who led a team of DENR experts in inspecting the river yesterday morning, said the department would work in partnership with concerned LGUs in Bulacan, as well as with other government agencies and private groups, to restore the river system to its former glory.

The river system gained infamy last year when a New York-based environmental watchdog, Blacksmith Institute, called it one of the 30 most-polluted areas in the world.

The MMO river system is 55 kilometers in length, traversing the cities of Caloocan, Valenzuela and Malabon in Metro Manila and San Jose del Monte in Bulacan, and the towns of Meycauayan, Marilao, Obando and Sta. Maria in Bulacan.

In rites at the Nicanor Guillermo Sports Complex in Marilao town yesterday morning, the DENR chief issued an administrative order for the development of the MMO as a water-quality management area that would enhance economic activity and development on a sustainable basis.

Bulacan Gov. Joselito Andrew Mendoza and the mayors of the four towns and three cities pledged their full assistance to the DENR-led rehabilitation work.

Among the Bulacan executives who committed their support were Epifanio Guillermo of Marilao; Leonardo Fontanilla, vice mayor of Obando; Bartolome Ramos of Sta. Maria; and Eduardo Roquero of San Jose del Monte.  

Mayor Enrico Echiverri of Caloocan was represented by Mr. de Guzman, while Meycauayan Mayor Joan Alarilla was represented by former mayor Eduardo Alarilla.

“We highly appreciate the support being given by our collaborators in rehabilitating the Meycauayan-Marilao-Obando river system. The local government units, our partner industries, nongovernment organizations, academe and local communities, all of us are united in this effort to bring about a sustainable, clean river system that will become our asset for the future,” Atienza said.

A governing board will manage the water-quality management area. The body will be responsible for the formulation of the action plan, which will provide a focused intervention to address the water-quality problems. Besides the LGUs, those who signed the declaration of support for the MMO rehabilitation were DENR-Environmental Management director Julian Amador, regional directors/representatives of the Departments of Public Works and Highways, Education, Science and Technology, Health, Trade and Industry, Laguna Lake Development Authority, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, and Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board.

Other signatories were Jonathan San Juan, for the business community; Fr. Efren Basco, DEEP; Mariano Sangalang, Water Utilities; Chelito Orillos, Coca-Cola Co.; and Marlo Mendoza of the Blacksmith Institute, a global environmental group.

Palace: Conditions not conducive for ‘Edsa’; police on normal alert

Malacañang said on Wednesday that present conditions in the country are not conducive to a successful people power bid, and again urged President Arroyo’s detractors to just wait for the next national polls in 2010 to change the leadership.

A senior Roman Catholic bishop is hoping that the February 29 interfaith prayer rally would lead to President Arroyo’s resignation as various groups come together in response to the clergy’s call for “communal action” and a “brand-new people power.”

DAVAO CITY—US Ambassador Kristie Kenney and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Chairman Murad Ebrahim had a historic meeting on Tuesday in the MILF camp in Maguindanao, but both sides declined to divulge the subject of their meeting.

THE Marilao-Meycauayan-Obando (MMO) River System—tagged recently as one of the world’s dirtiest—finally faces rehabilitation with the help of the environment department, local government units (LGUs), other concerned government agencies and private institutions.

ZAMBOANGA CITY—Jema’ah Islamiyah (JI) bomber Dulmatin, whose complete name is Amar Usmanan, spearheaded the abduction of a priest-director and a teacher of a Catholic-run secondary school last month in the province of Tawi-Tawi.

DAVAO CITY—The Indonesian vice consul said he would favor stationing Indonesian antiterrorist troops here to help clamp down on the suspected traffic of Indonesian terror suspects believed to be hiding or getting their training in Southern Philippines.

ZAMBOANGA CITY—The two-day Second Tripartite Meeting among the government, Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and Organization of Islamic Conference  ended with an agreement to formulate “possible proposals” to amend the law on Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) to ensure the full implementation of the 1996 peace pact with MNLF.

THE “ecosystem of corruption” and “oligarchy” that prevails in the government is well-embedded in the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), agrarian-reform groups said.