San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Atty. Don Artes oversee the conduct of the Bayanihan sa Estero program on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, at Lambingan Bridge, Aurora Boulevard, San Juan City. San Juan River is 9.8 kilometers long, but the portion under San Juan City is only two kilometers. (Photo by Santi San Juan)
San Juan City Mayor and Metro Manila Council (MMC) president Francis Zamora said on Wednesday, Aug. 20, that he will propose stiffer fines for littering.
During a media interview at the launch of the “Bayanihan sa Estero Program,” Zamora explained that the proposed increase in penalties seeks to encourage the public to refrain from throwing garbage that clogs waterways and contributes to flooding.
The mayor said that according to the existing local ordinance, violators who are caught littering face fines of up to P5,000.
Zamora said the full P5,000 fine could be imposed even on first-time offenders. He pointed out that a similar approach was taken in the Wattah Wattah Festival ordinance, where the imposition of stricter rules led to zero incidents of splashing outside the designated zone.
“You will not be fined if you don't throw trash,” Zamora said.
He added that he will study the proposal further and raise it for discussion with other local mayors at the next MMC meeting.