Senator Loren Legarda on Thursday, July 10 urged local government units and concerned government agencies to sustain their waterway cleanup efforts as rains begin to pound Metro Manila. 

Legarda made the call following the massive flooding last Tuesday after heavy rains inundated parts of Metro Manila, urging the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to intensify its flood control projects.

The senator said there should be a proactive approach to the cleaning since torrential rains, which cause flooding, happen annually.

“The clearing process of our waterways should not be done just once, because trash will always return due to improper waste disposal,” said Legarda.

“We call on the LGUs, MMDA, and DPWH to maintain clear waterways so that floods subside quicker and pose less of a threat to all of us,” she stressed.

The lawmaker also urged a reassessment of the ongoing flood mitigation and control projects to ensure their effectiveness and relevance.

“We need to ensure that these projects are effective and are still aligned with our present-day needs. Our people deserve long-term solutions, not band-aid responses,” she pointed out.

Legarda, author and principal sponsor of RA 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, said that once authorities unclog waterways, they should immediately segregate trash for proper disposal.

She said it is imperative for LGUs to do their part on proper waste disposal which is a major solution in helping alleviate the deluge caused by yearly flooding.

"We ask all residents to take care of the environment and ourselves by letting water flow unimpeded, as nature intended it to be,” she said.