Baros River

PRESS RELEASE                                                            FOR REFERENCE
January 21, 2010                                                              ALFREDO S. ARAYA
                                                                                         Chief, Regional Public Affairs Office
                                                                                         Telefax: 4820857
                                                                                         Email: araya_rpao5denr@yahoo.com

Baros River in Iriga City classified as "Class B"

The Baros River in Iriga City is included in the additional list of classified water bodies in the country issued recently by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

In Memorandum Circular No. 17 dated December 23, 2009 signed by then DENR Secretary Lito Atienza, and which was published in the December 30, 2009 issue of The Philippine Star, Baros River was among the 27 Rivers and 2 Bays officially classified pursuant to DENR Administrative Order (DAO) No. 34, series of 1990 and in accordance with the Manual of Procedure for Water Classification.

Per said circular, the Baros River is classified as "Class B" and as such its beneficial use is primary contact recreation such as bathing, swimming, skin diving, etc. (particularly those designated for tourism purposes).

The Circular requires industrial establishments, business, commercial and agricultural firms, political subdivisions, government-owned or controlled corporations and other similar entities and instrumentalities, including persons discharging liquid wastes into said water bodies to "observe and comply with the foregoing classification. (ASA)