750 tons of garbage hauled from waterway

MANILA, Philippines — The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority has removed nearly 750 metric tons of waste and debris from the Redemptorist Water Channel in Parañaque since Monday, equivalent to around 203 truckloads of garbage.

“We have collected the major bulk of trash in the channel. What remains is only the smaller waste, which should no longer accumulate,” MMDA general manager Nicolas Torre III said yesterday.

He said the 748.87 tons of waste and debris will be delivered to landfills in San Mateo and Rodriguez, Rizal.

The MMDA said the massive accumulation of garbage in the Redemptorist Water Channel occurred after its trash trap broke off, allowing waste to enter the waterway.

“The waterway was a narrow channel. The garbage accumulated after the tides washed it off,” Torre explained.

Parañaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez had told “Storycon” on One News that the bulk of the trash did not come from the city, but had entered the channel from Manila Bay after the trash flap was destroyed at the height of the monsoon rains combined with a high tide over the weekend.

The MMDA also deployed personnel to the man-made Dolomite Beach in Manila to conduct cleanup operations after tons of garbage washed ashore.

“Hopefully our fellow Filipinos realize what happens if we throw our trash in places we should not dispose of. I hope we prevent these similar occurrences,” Torre said.

He said the MMDA continues to inspect and audit waterways to ensure they remain free of clogging and silt buildup and operate at optimal capacity.

Aside from auditing waterways, Torre said the MMDA aims to maintain improved flooding conditions in areas that previously experienced severe flooding, including parts of Quezon City and Camanava.

The agency said its central theme hinges on being “always prepared, not surprised” by anticipating the effects of weather disturbances as reported by state meteorologists, including the prepositioning of personnel for deployment.

“Under Oplan Manananggal, teams are on standby to clear clogged inlets and waterways. We also have assets pre-positioned in areas where our fellow citizens may need rescue, in case water levels continue to rise and they need to be evacuated to higher ground,” Torre said.

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police is strengthening waste management measures in its offices to respond to President Marcos’ description that the garbage problem in the country is already critical.

Stressing that they should lead by example, PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said police officers must keep their workplaces and communities clean at all times.

“As law enforcers, police personnel are expected to set good examples to the people we serve, and in this particular case, the proper waste management and segregation,” he said in a statement.

Police commanders down to the precincts, Nartatez said, should strictly enforce waste management measures by providing trash bins for biodegradable and non-biodegradable garbage.

“We in the PNP are ready to provide assistance to the local government units in enforcing ordinances regarding waste disposal,” he said. — Emmanuel Tupas