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Friday, March 29, 2024

Food manufacturer refused government inspection amid Pasig River illegal discharge scandal

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Officials of the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission (PRRC), Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) were refused entry and inspection by the Universal Robina Corporation (URC).

Food manufacturer refused government inspection amid Pasig River illegal discharge scandal
Government officials were made to wait by URC at the latter's gate for almost an hour only to refuse inspection.

The surprise inspection was ordered by PRRC Executive Director Jose Antonio E. Goitia to crackdown the source of the illegal discharge to Marikina and Pasig Rivers.

“Since Monday, we have been inspecting factories, and we have no problem until today when URC refused us entry. What are they hiding?,” said the PRRC chief.

According to LLDA, URC will face an initial penalty of Php 25,000 per inspection for their refusal.

The incident was also recorded in the barangay blotter and the reporting was witnessed by Barangay Ilog Chairman Jose Nilo C. Abreño.

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In the video, which went viral, a white liquid was seen covering the stretch of the Marikina River flowing to the Pasig River.

“We’ll go back to URC and they will face heavier fines if they refuse us again,” Exec. Dir. Goitia added.

Mr. Abdusallam Monakil, the eyewitness who recorded and uploaded the video, urged the public to report their knowledge of any violation to PRRC to stop the violators and to save the Pasig River.

“Diyan po ako sa Ilog Pasig natutong lumangoy kaya concern po ako [I am truly concerned because it is in Pasig River where I learned to swim],” Monakil shared.

Food manufacturer refused government inspection amid Pasig River illegal discharge scandal
Pre-inspection report shows URC refused government officials to inspect their facilities despite an official government order. 

Last year, the Pasig River and the PRRC bested the Yangtze River and the Asian Development Bank and many other rivers in Asia for the Inaugural Asia RiverPrize, the “Noble Peace Prize” for river management and restoration efforts.

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