Caloocan conducts waterway cleanup

MANILA, Philippines - The Caloocan City government directed yesterday its Environmental Sanitation Services (ESS) office to intensify the cleanup of waterways to mitigate the effects of flash floods.

Mayor Enrico Echiverri ordered the ESS to declog not only major waterways but also small tributaries to so that floodwaters could freely flow toward the main canals.

“The local government would also be stricter when it comes to protecting waterways from hardheaded residents who would try to dump their garbage in prohibited places,” Echiverri said.

He reminded residents to throw their wastes only in designated areas as the ESS personnel with their dump trucks collect their garbage regularly.

Echiverri also directed the ESS to coordinate with barangay officials to find out which canals in their localities need immediate de-clogging.

The local government also alerted its social welfare and development office so that it could quickly provide assistance to residents who could become victims of severe flooding.