Personnel from the Pasay City government and their private sector partners conduct coastal cleanup at the Manila Bay. (Photo from Pasay PIO)
The city government of Pasay City, together with the private sector, conducted a cleanup drive along the Libertad Channel and the nearby shores of Manila Bay as part of efforts to address challenges of flooding in Metro Manila.
Pasay City Mayor Emi Calixto-Rubiano, the city government, SM Smart City Infrastructure Development Corporation (SM SCIDC), and the Pasay Libertad Anglers Association (PLAA), joined hands in the conduct of the cleanup drive.
Rubiano said the city government initiated an expansive clean-up operation along Manila Bay to collect wastes that block the waterways and protect the public’s health from toxic substances and hazards.
She also said the initiative supports President Marcos' call for local government units to take active measures in addressing the widespread problem of flooding.
“Improper waste management is a serious issue that not only endangers public health, but also significantly contributes to flooding. Garbage that’s improperly disposed of, which ranges from refrigerators to even sofas, blocks the waterways, which worsens the flooding during the typhoon season,” Rubiano said.
The mayor said with the waste that drifts to the city severely affecting the quality of living of her constituents, she had called for a unified front to address waste management for safer and cleaner cities by strengthening their waste disposal management plans and implementing desilting of rivers to boost their water-carrying capacity, all in pursuit of safer and cleaner urban environments.