The much-anticipated dredging project in the Tullahan-Tinajeros River System has begun, said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
“It’s all systems go for the Tullahan-Tinajeros dredging project, which is an important part of the Manila Bay rehabilitation program,” DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu said.
The 36.4-kilometer river system, which starts at the La Mesa Dam in Quezon City and drains into the Manila Bay at the Centennial Park in Navotas City, is one of the dirtiest waterways that empty into the bay which has been placed under rehabilitation since January last year.
The dredging project is covered by the memorandum of agreement entered into by the DENR with food and San Miguel Corp. (SMC) last year.
The agreement formalized San Miguel Corporation’s participation in the Adopt-an-Estero program.
The agreement formalized SMC’s participation in the Adopt-an-Estero program, a priority initiative of the DENR and a key strategy to comply to the mandamus of the Supreme Court to clean up Manila Bay.
Cimatu said dredging will be done within the 5.25-kilometer part of the river system, covering the stretch from Barangay Catmon in Malabon City to Barangay Bagumbayan South in Navotas City.
According to the environment chief, dredging is necessary to remove the sediments that are affecting the water quality of the river.
“Dredging strips away the accumulated debris, which could help reduce the risk of flooding and improve its water quality.”
“Dredging strips away the accumulated debris, which could help reduce the risk of flooding and improve its water quality,” the environment chief pointed out.
SMC had earlier pledged P1 billion for the dredging and cleanup of the river system, including the purchase of backhoes, cranes with claw, dump trucks, barges and fuel.
The official launch of the dredging operations took place in the morning of February 24 at the Navotas Centennial Park and it included the ceremonial handover of the dredging map between the DENR and SMC.
Aside from DENR and SMC representatives, officials from the local governments of Navotas and Malabon cities, the province of Bulacan, Department of Public Works and Highways, and Department of the Interior and Local Government, and the Metropolitan Manila Development are Authority attended the event.