Saving Marilao River
Office of the Mayor
| Logo of the municipal office of Marilao, Bulacan. | Hon. Mayor Epifanio Guillermo while being interviewed. | ThinkQuest members and coach as they said their goodbyes. |
An Interview with Marilao's Mayor
As part of our project, we interviewed Mayor Epifanio Guillermo of Marilao. Here are selected excerpts from the interview:
Question #1: What are the actions made by the government to clean up Marilao River?
Answer: Department of Environment & Natural Resources subject the municipalities & cities laid along Marilao River, namely as Obando, Meycauayan, Marilao, San Jose del Monte, Santa Maria, Valenzuela, Quezon City & Caloocan, to sign the Kasunduan sa Pamamagitan ng mga Bayan & Lungsod (A Treaty between Municipalities & Cities). It aims to protect the Marilao River from further damage since it was reported to be one of the world's dirtiest rivers.
The local government of Marilao also ordered leather tanneries to stop their operations if they cannot comply with the needed waste basin or if they cannot regulate their wastes. Marilao's municipality also involves the youth in cleaning the river. Volunteers clean the river in a daily basis. The local government also has an Ecology Center where in solid waste management & waste segregation informations are disseminated.
Different Non Government Organizations (NGOs), such as the Rotary Club & Lion's Club, also extended their helping hands in resurrecting the life of Marilao River.
Question #2: What are the industries affected with Marilao River's destruction?
Answer: The farming industry is greatly affected because they need water for the crops, and the main source of water is the Marilao River. Dirty waters cause the crops to grow unhealthy. The fishing industries are also affected because the river is one of the mainstream source of the fisheries. The fishes usually grow degenerated or die due to the polluted water coming from the river. This makes the industry an uncompetitive market of Marilao.
Question #3: What are the sources of pollution?
Answer: Pollution is primarily caused by the households along Marilao River. Leather tanneries also contributed to its destruction.