San Juan unveils ClearBot to clean river, curb flooding

MANILA, Philippines — The San Juan city government yesterday launched the Asian Development Bank-Metropolitan Manila Development Authority ClearBot Project as part of the city’s effort to strengthen flood mitigation along the San Juan River.

The ClearBot, a solar-powered vessel equipped with cameras and artificial intelligence, was tested during a live demonstration at the San Juan Bridge yesterday.

The robot vessel roams waterways, identifies debris and automatically collects trash to prevent it from flowing downstream and clogging drainage systems.

San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora said the early results show how technology can give the city a powerful boost in its battle against flooding.

“In a very short time, the ClearBot collected over a ton of trash. This kind of intelligent innovation is exactly what we need to make our communities safer,” Zamora said as he reminded the public to be responsible in disposing wastes.

“Technology can help us, but it cannot replace our responsibility as citizens. We all need to do our part,” he said.