[Manila Bulletin Online ] April 25, 2008
Dexter A. See
BAGUIO CITY – Environmentalists here predicted the eventual death of the Balili River in this city and nearby Benguet due to the continuous disposal of wastes in the tributaries of the river by unscrupulous residents of this mountain resort city.
While the condition of the river continues to worsen everyday due to the dumping of wastes in this body of water connecting this city to La Trinidad, Benguet, pro-environment advocates believe the river could still be saved if people, particularly the thousands of families living alongside its tributaries, do their part to rescue the Balili River, which serves s one of the major sources of irrigation for the lowland areas.
Over the past several decades, the city government has virtually failed to address the uncontrolled garbage disposal and direct release of sewerage and household water into the river, resulting in its moribund condition.
Local environment groups said addressing the serious garbage problem will help the government and non-government agencies in their efforts to revitalize the river, but the people living alongside its tributaries should cooperate.
Baguio City is one big area alongside a major tributary of the Balili River, which flows down to La Trinidad, Tublay, Sablan, Benguet and ends in La Union.
However, the Cordillera office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) had declared that the Balili River is not yet considered a dead body of water because aquatic life is still evident, particularly in the La Trinidad and Tublay portions of the river.
Earlier, the La Trinidad municipal government repeatedly assailed the apathy of Baguio residents about the efforts to save the river.
Despite criticisms, barangays which are alongside the tributaries of the Balili River are doing their share in trying to minimize the pollution of the river.
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