A total of 603 tons of garbage were collected in 71 pumping stations and during the clean-up drive in various flooded areas in Metro Manila, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) reported on Wednesday, July 23.

MMDA chief information officer Sharon Gentalian said 526.8 tons of trash were collected from the pumping stations from July 18 to 22 while around 26.37 truckloads of garbage were collected in various flooded parts of Metro Manila from July 21 to 22.

And according to Gentalian, the 26.37 truckload of garbage translates to around 80 tons of trash that were collected in all the flooded areas across the metropolis.

And part of the manner of garbage collection were the manual removal of MMDA personnel of the garbage that blocks the drainage system and waterways, and those that clog the floodwater pumping stations in Metro Manila.

The garbage disposal woes are so serious that the MMDA even came up with the historical data of garbage-based flooding in the metropolis.

“We have already identified 49 areas where we are sure that the reason for the flooding is due to garbage blocking the drainage system and the waterways,” said MMDA chairman Don Artes in a Palace press briefing.

On Tuesday, July 22, alone, Artes narrated that MMDA personnel were able to solve the gutter-deep flooding near the White Plains-Camp Aguinaldo area by removing the garbage that blocked the water outlet from the road.

It was in the same press briefing that Artes revealed that among the trash they collected in some of the 71 pumping stations in Metro Manila were refrigerator, sofa and even car tires.

“Our drainage system is antiquated, more than 50 years old. So these drainage systems cannot accommodate sofas, refrigerators and other big garbage. The immediate effect is that this garbage would block the waterways and eventually result in flooding,” said Artes.

While the garbage collection and cleaning are regular, Artes explained that there are some undisciplined people who throw their trash not only on the streets but also on rivers and other waterways.

The almost 80 tons of garbage collected on July 21 and 22, according to the MMDA, exposes the discipline problem on trash disposal in Metro Manila.

During the Wednesday inspection in Pasay City, Artes said heavy loads of garbage were retrieved by MMDA personnel at the Tripa De Gallina Pumping Station on July 22, which included old furniture, broken refrigerators, wheels, trunks of fallen trees, and other big garbage.

"When plastics are sucked into the pump, they get coiled in the engine, resulting in overheating. The efficiency of our pumping stations are really affected and could result in damaged equipment," Artes explained.

Artes earlier appealed to the public to dispose of their garbage properly as part of the long-term and reliable solutions to flooding.

“Addressing the flood problem is not the responsibility of the government alone. We have to work together, we need the participation of everybody, especially on the aspect of garbage disposal,” said Artes.

“So we are urging our kababayan to have discipline regarding garbage disposal.

Discipline remains an integral part in addressing flooding problems in Metro Manila,” he added.