Councilor Victor Ferrer Jr asked the city’s Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO) to continue coordinating with other groups and agencies to determine firms committing such infractions.
He said the errant establishments should have their business permits immediately revoked if they violate the anti-dumping law.
Ferrer requested the BPLO to run after business establishments illegally dumping waste on the city’s waterways.
First-time Congressman and three-term Councilor Allan Benedict Reyes asked the city government and other concerned national government agencies to further “focus and impose the full force of the law against these firms.’’

He asserted that it is “wrong to pin the blame the country’s water pollution woes solely on the informal settlers as unprincipled industrial firms, restaurant owners and hotel management should be held more liable.’’
“They are supposed to be more established in their respective careers and are educated and not financially-burdened compared to the informal settlers. But sad to say they are evil-driven to acquire more wealth at all cost and in total disregard for the environment,’’ Reyes said.

However, Reyes pointed out that informal settler families should “never dump their waste on the waterways.
With heavy flooding a national concern since time immemorial, Reyes asked the public not to rely solely on the government to keep the waterways and drainage systems clean.

He appealed to the public anew to be responsible in caring for the environment as the indiscriminate dumping of garbage that finds its way and clogs the drainage system and waterways “are the major cause of flooding especially during heavy downpours.’’

Earlier, the Quezon City government spearheaded a clean-up drive along the rivers of Tullahan, Marikina, Dario, and San Juan — all of which traverse the city.
The QC Environmental Protection and Waste Management Department have routinely conducted clean-up drives in preparation for the rainy season.
Quezon City enacted an ordinance prohibiting the throwing of garbage in rivers and creeks. City Ordinance 1506-2005 amended ordinance 6305-65 prohibiting the throwing of any garbage, waste matters, or refuse in any drainage outlets such as rivers, creeks, etc., tributaries in Quezon City.
City Engineer Joselito Cabungcal said that no flood control drive would be effective if the public will continue with the bad habit of disposing of their garbage indiscriminately.

To further solve clogged waterways, the city government in the past had relocated families living near rivers and creeks to safer grounds.
The relocation of the informal settlers near the danger zones also allows the concerned government agencies to facilitate cleaning the waterways.
The writ of mandamus of the Supreme Court explicitly states that houses should be at least three meters away from the esteros and minor rivers. In comparison, shelters near larger rivers should be ten meters away from major waterways.

In a resolution decided by the Supreme Court en banc in Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and Department of Environment and Natural Resources vs. Concerned Residents of Manila Bay represented by Divina Ilas et al., (G.R. Nos. 171947-48), where it upheld the decision of the Regional Trial Court that orders the concerned government agencies to clean-up and rehabilitate Manila Bay and such can be compelled with Writ of Mandamus.

The MMDA, as the lead agency and implementor of programs and projects for flood control projects and drainage services in Metro Manila, in coordination with the DPWH, DILG, affected LGUs, PNP Maritime Group, Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC), and other agencies shall dismantle and remove all structures, constructions, and other encroachments established or built in violation of RA 7279, and other applicable laws along the Pasig-Marikina-San Juan Rivers, the NCR (Parañaque-Zapote, Las Piñas) Rivers, the Navotas-Malabon-Tullahan- Tenejeros Rivers, and connecting waterways and esteros in Metro Manila.