LENRO, stakeholders concerned about the presence of several non-biodegradable wastes in coastal barangays

By Gideon C. Corgue

PAGADIAN CITY, January 26 (KBP)— The Local Environment and Natural Resources Office (LENRO) and stakeholders are very concerned about the number of non-biodegradable wastes buried in the sand in barangay White Beach here.

Thus disclosed Analyn Babayson, the local environment and natural resources officer in an interview on the program 'Asenso Pagadian' over RMN DXPR recently.

Babayson said that in the region-wide estero and coastal clean-up initiated by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Officer (DENR-IX) on January 25, the stakeholders personally witnessed a number of non-perishable garbage that was buried deep in the sand that mostly consisted of nylon ropes and tarpaulin that belonged to commercial fishing vessels.

"Previously during the coastal clean up activities of the city government, the only things we found on the beach were plastic bottles, but now we are shocked because the accumulated garbage collected by the stakeholders are mostly unused nylon ropes and tarps owned by fishermen," Babayson said.

Due to this sad situation, Babasyon said that she will immediately coordinate with the office of the Philippine Coast Guard and the Philippine Maritime Police which is in charge of the renewal of the commercial boat license, as well as the fisheries division of the Department of Agriculture (DA) to urge the fishing boat operators to stop their bad practice because it destroys the marine species in our seas.

"We will also strengthen information dissemination by holding a seminar or symposium for the fishing boat operators so that this bad practice can be completely stopped," Babayson said.

She also urged the fishing boat operators in the neighboring towns not to throw their nylon ropes and tarpaulin in the sea because all of us will be directly affected by this problem and eventually, we will have no more fish to eat.

"I am hopeful that the fishing boat operators will always be careful in what they do and they will be guided by the famous saying 'what you sow is what you reap,'" Babayson concluded. (GCC/KBP-Zamboanga del Sur)