President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Saturday launched the drainage clean-up drive in Metro Manila to de-clog heavily silted waterways that cause the perennial flooding in the country’s metropolis during the rainy season.
The initiative, dubbed as “Bayanihan sa Estero” Program, targets the completion of clean-up activities on 23 identified esteros that have been prioritized for immediate intervention due to significant siltation, heavy accumulation of solid waste, poor flow conditions, and their susceptibility to recurrent flooding.
The areas were also selected on the basis of their impact on surrounding communities and proximity to flood-prone zones.
During the program launch at the Buli Creek in Pasig City, Marcos said good flood control projects would be ineffective, if waterways remain clogged.
“Malaking proyekto ito sa flood control. Hindi lang sa pagpatayo ng slope protection. Kasama na itong paglilinis (This is a big flood control project. It’s not just about building slope protection. It includes cleaning),” he said.
“Iyan ang aming ginagawa. Parang adjustment natin. Kailangan na talaga tayong mag-adjust sa climate change at kahit anong gawin natin, hindi natin mapipigilan ang tinatawag nating climate change (That’s what we’re doing. It’s our adjustment. We really need to adjust to climate change and no matter what we do, we cannot stop what we call climate change).”
He also emphasized the need for collaboration among the national government, the local government units (LGUs), and volunteer groups to ensure the success of the clean-up drive.
“Kapag malinis ang mga estero, mabilis din mawala ang baha. Kaya naiiwan ang baha, dahil walang madaanan ng tubig. At tatagal talagang may tubig sa ating mga bahay-bahay lalung-lalo na ‘yung mga nakatira sa tabing creek natin (When the creeks are clean, the flood will also disappear quickly. There are floods because the water cannot pass through. And the floods will remain in the houses, especially those who live along our creeks),” Marcos said.
The President noted that extensive clean-up for 12 of the 23 priority esteros have already been completed to cushion the impact of floods brought about by unusual heavy rains.
A total of 881 cubic meters of garbage have been removed during the clean-up of 12 esteros, according to data from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).
During the launch, the MMDA also conducted a simultaneous clean-up drive in four other sites – the Catmon Creek in Malabon City, Pinagsama Creek in Taguig City, Hagonoy Retarding Pond in Taguig City, and Tapayan Retarding Pond in Taytay, Rizal.
In a statement, the MMDA said the remaining 13 identified esteros are scheduled for clean-up with ongoing coordination with LGUS.
The MMDA serves as the lead coordinator and implementer of metro-wide estero cleanup, while the concerned city or village serves as partner implementer for the coordination and mobilization of manpower and resources.
The agency said it would return to the priority sites for regular maintenance to ensure that waterways remain clear, functional, and well-managed over time.
To date, there are 273 identified rivers, tributaries, esteros and open canals in Metro Manila that serve as primary channels for conveying stormwater and flood runoff across the metropolis.
Remaining esteros from the 273 waterways in Metro Manila will also be monitored and scheduled for clean-up, reinforcing the MMDA’s fulfilment of its mandate and long-term commitment to improving urban waterway management. (PNA)