THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) today inspected desilting operations at the mouth of Parañaque River as part of the agency’s flood control measures.
MMDA Chair Benhur Abalos said the agency will remove the “island” made up of a mixture of garbage and silt where shanties are already constructed which serves as a resting place for fishermen in the area.
Abalos said it will take about three to four months to fully get rid of the pile of garbage in the river estimated to be 26,000 cubic meters in volume.
The Chairman noted the risks the garbage island is bringing to the river, waterways, and the nearby communities including Manila Bay.
“If we don’t act up on this, more structures will be built in the area. But the most alarming possibility is its effect on the water flow along the river and the waste will be very toxic to the community and surrounding waters,” he explained.
Engineer Baltazar Melgar who is the head of the MMDA Flood Control and Sewerage Management Office said that the process of removing all the garbage in the area will be tedious as all of these will be hauled and disposed of to the landfill.
While the Chairman lamented the gravity of trash and waste management problems, he called on the public to report piles of garbage obstructing the waterways.
“I call on everyone to report to the MMDA problems like this where there is mass of garbage that needs to be addressed and removed immediately.”
“I also urge the public to throw out garbage responsibly and practice recycling to lessen waste and help mitigate floods,” he said.
The MMDA has also installed 30 trash nets along canals and esteros in the metropolis that will trap garbage which will be collected every three days to help mitigate damage to the agency-manned pumping stations.
