The Environment Management Bureau in Central Visayas (EMB-7) has directed the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center in Barangay Kalunasan to already cease from discharging their wastewater to a nearby canal because of their failure to comply to environmental standards. | CDN File Photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) in Barangay Kalunasan in Cebu City has made a promise to take steps to comply with environmental standards and address concerns on their wastewater discharge.
CPDRC Warden Reynaldo Valmoria said that the firm which they tapped to maintain the jail facility’s septic tank is scheduled to conduct an ocular inspection on Monday, November 25, and start to dislodge their waste chambers.
Their septic tank cleanup was just the first of many measures that the penetentiary’s management will undertake after the Environmental Management Bureau in Central Visayas (EMB-7) ordered CPDRC to already cease from discharging their wastewater into the barangay’s drainage system following complaints of foul odor that it produces.
Valmoria said he received the EMB-issued Cease and Desist Order (CDO) on November 20.
The jail warden said that he already informed Governor Gwendolyn Garcia of the CDO, a copy of which was also sent to the Provincial Legal Office.
Read More: Capitol to investigate complaints of foul smell allegedly coming from provincial, city jails
“Naay CDO regarding sa wastewater from CPDRC. Ilang ipa comply. Gitagaan mig 72 hours. Okay na man. Na discuss na namo ni Gov. Gwen. Dislodging na lang,” Valmoria said.
(We received the CDO which raised concerns on the wastewater discharge from CPDRC. They wanted us to comply (with EMB standards). We were given 72 hours. We already started to comply with the CDO. We already discussed this with Gov. Gwen. We just needed to implement dislodging.)
CPDRC and the Cebu City jail had been subject of complaints by Kalunasan residents because of the foul smell coming from their wastewater facilities.
The provincial jail is managed by the Capitol while the male and female dormitories of the Cebu City Jail are run by the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP). / dcb