Malabon City Mayor Jeannie Sandoval urged the Malabueños to take waste segregation seriously, warning that improper garbage disposal continues to contribute to the city’s chronic drainage problems.

“Ang kalinisan ay hindi lang responsibilidad ng pamahalaan kundi ng bawat isa sa atin, ng bawat komunidad. Kaya naman po patuloy ang ating paalala dahil tayo-tayo rin ang makikinabang sa malinis at ligtas na kapaligiran. Makiisa po tayo, maging responsable, at alagaan ang ating lungsod dahil ito ay para sa ating kaligtasan (Cleanliness is not only the responsibility of the government but of each of us, of each community. That is why we continue to remind you because we are all the ones who will benefit from a clean and safe environment. Let us unite, be responsible, and take care of our city because it is for our safety),” Mayor Sandoval said.

Following clean-up operations across the city, local officials reported that large volumes of plastic bags, styrofoam containers, cigarette butts, and food packaging were recovered from waterways and drainage systems—items known to cause severe blockages when left unmanaged.

According to the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO), an average of 300 sacks of waste are collected daily during flood-response efforts.

The mayor’s renewed call is part of the city’s larger push to improve disaster resilience and environmental management.

The local government has deployed clean-up teams under the Key Mobile Jeannie Services (KMJS) to flood-affected areas, including F. Sevilla and Estrella Streets, for declogging and flushing operations.

CENRO Head Mark Mesina said no amount of government intervention will succeed without community cooperation.

“Iwasan po natin ang magtapon ng basura kung saan-saan, lalo na sa ating mga daluyan ng tubig. Ito po ang pangunahing dahilan ng pagbabara ng ating mga kanal. Hindi kakayanin ng pamahalaan, maging ng mga barangay, ang ayusin ang bawat sulok ng lungsod kung wala ang suporta ng bawat isa. Disiplina ang susi upang maging malinis at maayos ang ating Malabon (Let's avoid throwing garbage everywhere, especially in our waterways. This is the main reason for the clogging of our canals. The government, even the barangays, cannot fix every corner of the city without the support of everyone. Discipline is the key to making our Malabon clean and tidy),” Mesina said.

City Administrator Dr. Alexander Rosete also urged barangay officials and residents to intensify localized environmental programs and practice simple habits like sweeping front yards and using proper garbage bins as preventive measures.

“Ang simpleng pagtapon ng basura sa tamang lagayan, ang tamang paghiwa-hiwalay ng mga ito, at ang simpleng pagwawalis ng tapat ng inyong mga bahay ay malaking tulong na sa ating layunin na mapanatiling malinis ang Malabon, at sa pagpigil sa matinding pagbaha tuwing tag-ulan (Simply throwing garbage in the right bin, properly separating it, and simply sweeping the front of your houses will go a long way in our goal of keeping Malabon clean, and in preventing severe flooding during the rainy season) ,” he said.