President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Saturday launched a multi-sectoral campaign to clear Metro Manila’s heavily-polluted esteros or waterways to prevent recurrent flashfloods during the rainy season.
President Marcos launched the “Bayanihan sa Estero, Malinis na Estero, Mamamayan Protektado” program during the ongoing cleanup of Buli Creek in Pinagbuhatan, Pasig City.
Invoking the Filipino trait of bayanihan, President Marcos said national and local government agencies and officials, as well as civil society groups should be involved in the cleanup of esteros.
“Nandito tayong lahat, kailangan talaga nating hanapan ng solusyon ito at hindi na maaari na basta’t pababayaan natin na every year na lang, ganito ang nangyayari sa ating mga kababayan na binabaha sila, kailangan i-evacuate,” the President said.
“Kaya gumawa tayo ng paraan, mayroon na tayong paraan, pagbutihan na lang natin ang ating paglinis sa ating mga estero,” added the President.
President Marcos remarked on the severe siltation and overgrowth of water hyacinth in Buli Creek, noting that the buildup was so dense that cleanup workers could stand on the vegetation and walk across the water.
The Bayanihan sa Estero campaign is spearheaded by the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and involves various national agencies such as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Department of Education (DepEd), as well as local government units and civic groups.
The MMDA has identified 273 rivers, tributaries, esteros and open canals that were meant to serve as natural drainage system connecting to larger bodies of water like the Manila Bay.
Waterways that are clogged by trash and water hyacinth are unable to drain water from heavy rains, resulting in major flooding in low-lying communities.
The Bayanihan sa Estero campaign has prioritized 23 esteros for cleanup due to significant siltation, heavy accumulation of solid waste and poor water flow that results in recurrent flooding.
President Marcos said the cleanup of 12 esteros was completed before the recent typhoons hit, which mitigated the impact of the heavy rains and resulting floods.
The MMDA said the cleanup of five esteros, including Buli Creek in Pasig City, is ongoing. | PND
