The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) inked a memorandum of agreement with the provincial local government of Davao de Oro on Tuesday to address pollution in the Naboc River.
DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu emphasized the significance of the joint venture to improve the water quality in the river. Some of the undertakings include dredging, desilting, and quarrying as part of the clean-up program.
“The desilting and rehabilitation are about to start,” he said, adding that the river will eventually provide irrigation to the fields which will eventually benefit the people.
On March 16-18 this year, the DENR issued a cease and desist order on 175 owners of ball/rod mills and carbon in-pulp plants in Mt. Diwalwal in Monkayo. It was based on the recommendation of the compliance monitoring team. As of April 10, around 90% of the plants have already stopped operating while others already transferred to the Mabatas relocation site in Barangay Upper Ulip.
The DENR also cleared the nearby mining operations, rationalize quarrying operations of sand and gravel in the river bed, and treatment of chemicals that eventually make their way into the river.
Cimatu said the government spent zero during the entire rehabilitation effort.
Davao de Oro Governor Jayvee Tyron Uy said dredging operation for the whole 60-hectare stretch of the Naboc River will generate “six-digit earnings.”
