With regard to water pollution, the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) levels of 10 rivers (Bocaue, Anayan, Malaguit, Paniqui, Calapan, Iloilo, Luyang, Sapangdaku, Cagayan de Oro and Balili) are already within standard and BOD levels of rivers have improved. However, waterways in major urban centers, especially esteros, are unfit for human activity, despite recent clean-up efforts. The cost of medical treatment and loss of income from water-borne diseases total PhP6.7 billion per year, according to a WB report (2007). At least six rivers in the NCR, Region 3 and Region 4-A fail in terms of both dissolved oxygen (DO) and Biological Oxygen Demand, namely: the Parañaque, San Juan, Marikina, Pasig, Meycauayan, and Ylang-Ylang rivers. The Supreme Court in December 2008 issued a continuing mandamus for the government to clean up the waterways, especially those emptying into Manila Bay, in order to improve the water quality in the bay to "SB level".1
In Metro Manila, up to 58 percent of groundwater has been found to be contaminated with coliform.2
The problems posed by hazardous wastes are also beginning to be a priority concern due to the increasing number of large companies that generate wastes considered hazardous to health and the environment. Like most developing countries, the Philippines still has inadequate equipment and technical expertise to deal with these wastes despite steps to define the regulatory and enforcement responsibilities of various government agencies. Currently, the Philippines has no large-scale treatment and disposal facilities for hazardous wastes.
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1 SB-areas regularly used by the public for bathing, swimming, skin diving, etc.
2 European Commission (EC), Country Environmental Profile, 2005.