More than 3,810 tons of garbage, water hyacinth and silt have been removed from the Manila Bay coastline and drainage system discharging to the bay since government started its rehabilitation program, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said.
In the MMDA’s Manila Bay rehabilitation report, collected from Jan. 7 to Aug. 31 were:
• 2,639 cubic meters/749.72 tons of garbage from the Manila Baywalk and other tributaries.
• 2,594.34 cubic meters/737.12 tons of garbage and water hyacinth removed from the Baseco beach area, lagoon, and aplaya.
• 3,174.5 cubic meters/901.85 tons of water hyacinth/garbage from the Pasig River and San Juan River areas.
• 5,005.5 cubic meters/1,422.17 tons of silt from esteros and drainage laterals discharging to Manila Bay.
MMDA Chairman Danilo Lim said they still expect to collect more garbage as piles of trash float at the Manila Bay brought by heavy rains over the past few days.
“The rehabilitation of Manila Bay never stops.”
“Garbage has accumulated in Manila Bay after the heavy rains but the rehabilitation of Manila Bay never stops. We are inviting more volunteers to help in our clean-up drive held every Saturday in the Baywalk and Baseco areas,” Lim said.
Majority of objects collected from the bay were bamboo poles and driftwood which had been carried by currents from nearby fish pens, water hyacinths, plastics, household wastes, and other sorts of garbage thrown indiscriminately into esteros and creeks.
Aside from hauling garbage, MMDA workers are focused on cleaning major drainages, including the Estero San Antonio de Abad, Tripa de Gallina, Padre Faura Drainage Main, and the Remedios Drainage Main, to prevent garbage and silt from polluting the bay.
“We are on the right track towards restoring the beauty and improve Manila Bay’s quality of water.”
“The government still has a long way to go in the rehabilitation of Manila Bay but we are on the right track towards restoring the beauty and improve Manila Bay’s quality of water,” the MMDA chief said.
The Manila Bay rehabilitation program is spearheaded by the Department of Environment and National Resources, with MMDA, various government agencies, local government units, private groups, environmentalists and volunteers.
The Manila Bay cleanup organized by the MMDA had 18,457 registered volunteers who joined the clean-up activities at the Manila Baywalk and Baseco areas from January to August, this year.