Global non-profit organization The Ocean Cleanup has officially reached the shores of the Philippines with its groundbreaking 30 Cities Program, marking a major milestone in the country’s fight against ocean-bound plastic pollution.

Manila joins major global cities such as Los Angeles, Mumbai, and Panama City as part of the program’s initial rollout, planned to start in 2026. The initiative will focus on the waterways that feed into the Manila Bay, wherein over 90percent of collected waste from the area is reportedly composed of hard and film plastics, according to a study done by EcoWaste Coalition, KOICA, DENR, and De La Salle University-Dasmarinas.

The 30 Cities Program is an initiative to accelerate the organization’s efforts to intercept and remove ocean-bound plastic pollution across 30 key cities in Asia and the Americas, aiming to eliminate up to one-third of all plastic flowing from the world’s rivers into the ocean before the end of the decade.

The environmental organization estimates that 1,000 rivers are accountable for nearly 80 percent of global annual river plastic emissions, which range between 0.8 – 2.7 million metric tons per year, with small urban rivers amongst the most polluting. The remaining 20 percent of plastic emissions are distributed over 30,000 rivers across the globe.

According to the World Bank, the Philippines is reportedly among the top contributors of ocean plastic waste, with an estimated 0.75 million metric tons of mismanaged plastic entering the ocean every year.

Working together with government leaders, private corporations, and the scientific community, The Ocean Cleanup utilizes its portfolio of Interceptor solutions, ranging from heavy-duty trash traps to autonomous solar-powered systems that are designed to capture plastic directly from rivers before it reaches the ocean. In the Philippines, the organization has been working to set up collaborations with several national and city government agencies, the private sector, and intergovernmental organizations with the goal of kicking off its first projects this year.

Using data, artificial intelligence, and detailed river mapping, the organization determines the most effective Interceptor type and deployment points for each city, in which the collected waste is transported to shore for proper disposal and recycling in coordination with local partners.

Program locations were chosen by identifying rivers that deliver the highest environmental impact when it comes to plastic waste. This was done by analyzing where plastic waste flows most heavily from rivers into the ocean, using the latest scientific modeling combined with on-the-ground operational experience and local research partners.

With its AI-powered Smart River Survey, The Ocean Cleanup strategically targets locations through remote-sensing cameras to model plastic flows, GPS trackers to record how currents affect floating materials, and drone mapping to identify social, environmental, and operational factors.

“Through the 30 Cities Program, The Ocean Cleanup aims to shift from isolated river cleanups to city-wide, scalable solutions that significantly reduce marine plastic pollution at its source. In the Philippines, the program represents our long-term commitment to protecting coastal ecosystems, strengthening waste management efforts, and safeguarding Manila Bay for future generations,” said Boyan Slat, Founder and CEO, The Ocean Cleanup.