Discarded plastic packagings, rubbers, and other debris continue to pile up in the coastal areas of Navotas City connected to Manila Bay despite the clean up and rehabilitation programs of the government.

Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Metro Manila Regional Executive Director Jacqueline Caancan made the observation when she visited Tanza Marine Tree Park on Thursday, Oct. 7, following reports that trash have been accumulating on the coast of the northernmost boundary of Metro Manila.

What concerned Caancan was that the sea waste — mostly composed of food and beverage packagings — did not only come from Navotas but also its neighboring cities.

“What we need to understand, however, is that Roxas Boulevard is a miniscule part of Manila Bay. The coast of Manila Bay is, in fact, shared by 21 municipalities and 10 cities, including Navotas City," she said.

The DENR official claimed that the attention of the media in relation to the Manila Bay rehabilitation "was only focused on its Roxas Boulevard side."

"All these abandoned flipflops and trash that we see here in Tanza did not come from Navotas City alone, or even any city or municipality of Metro Manila. Some of these may have come from any of the eight provinces that drain their waters into Manila Bay," Caancan added.

Aside from Metro Manila, the provinces of Bataan, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Rizal and Tarlac drain their waters into the Manila Bay.

“What this means is that trash thrown into the rivers and streams from all these provinces, cities, and municipalities find their way to Manila Bay," Caancan explained.

As such, she sought the public's cooperation to help the DENR in cleaning up the famed tourist attraction.

“If we want to see a rehabilitated Manila Bay, we can start by practicing proper waste management at home," she said.