President Rodrigo Duterte believes that “martial law powers” are needed to repair the country’s estuaries, which he said is the reason why Manila Bay is still dirty.
The President said this after Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu reported at the meeting Thursday night at the Palace.
“Ito ‘yung nagbigay ng dumi ng Manila Bay. Ito mga river systems natin mula sa Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Pampanga, at saka Bataan. Mayroon lahat, lahat ng mga rivers na ‘yan bumagsak sa Manila Bay. Pinakagrabe na . . . Ito po ang esteros and waterways in Manila alone. Lahat po ng mga esteros na ‘yan ay pupunta sa Pasig River at saka Pasig River bababa sa Manila Bay,” said Cimatu.
(This is what gave the dirt of Manila Bay. These are our river systems from Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Pampanga, and then Bataan. There are all, all those rivers that fell into Manila Bay. Worst of all. . . This is the estuary and waterways in Manila alone. All those estuaries will go to Pasig River and then Pasig River down to Manila Bay.)
According to Duterte, over a long period of time, the country’s problem when it comes to estuaries has grown.
Duterte: ‘Martial law powers’ needed to solve problem of estuaries
“Hindi na ho madadala ng pala ‘yan. Kailangan i-dredge na talaga natin including the esteros and, if need be, destroy all houses at iyong mga esteros na ninakaw ng subdivisions, buksan, pilitin mo. But this cannot be done in an ordinary day,” he said.
(It can’t be shoveled anymore. We really need to dredge including the estuaries and, if need be, destroy all houses and your estuaries stolen by the subdivisions, open, force them. But this cannot be done on an ordinary day.)
The President admitted that it would no longer be up to his administration to fix the estuaries and whoever is next President will need heavier powers to solve it.
“Hindi na ako magiging presidente. But you need another martial law powers for a president someday to do these things. Walang TRO, basta ‘yung mali, ano ‘yung original mapa, iyon ang sundin. Then this country could find a relief of what it is now in a quagmire of our country,” said Duterte.
(I will no longer be president. But you need another martial law powers for a president someday to do these things. No TRO, as long as it’s wrong, what’s the original map, that’s what to follow. Then this country could find a relief of what it is now in a quagmire of our country.)
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