The national government should come up with a master plan to effectively and efficiently address the garbage problems not only in Metro Manila and nearby areas but also other urban centers across the country, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said.

DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon said the huge volume of garbage that floated and clogged the Redemptorist waterway in Parañaque after the heavy rains that pounded Metro Manila and nearby areas in the past days.

“The government should come up with drastic measures. We cannot do this forever every day. This kind of approach is not sustainable,” said Dizon, referring to the all-out garbage clean-up at the Redemptorist waterway and the Manila Bay area.

He explained that garbage clean-up is part of the regular measures to prevent widespread flooding in Metro Manila, noting that a huge volume of garbage usually blocks the natural waterways in the metropolis.

Dizon would not elaborate on a drastic solution but cited trash-to-energy technology that could be tapped as part of the master plan.

The huge volume of garbage that floated on the river near the Baclaran Church, according to experts, was an accumulation of metric tons of trash from various areas near Parañaque that were carried to the waterway due to high tide.

The garbage build-up, according to Dizon, started on Monday, Aug. 10.

While local authorities said this is the first time that such a scene happened in the area, Dizon said the garbage disposal problem has always been a challenge for decades now.

He cited the experience of DPWH and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) over the years when several trucks of trash are collected along various waterways in Metro Manila during the rainy season.

In July last year for instance, the MMDA lamented the improper waste disposal after retrieving large pieces of damaged furniture and appliances along some rivers, including a sofa and a refrigerator.

“We need a master plan to address the garbage problem. This would be a recurring problem, a never-ending clean up if we do not address this decisively,” said Dizon.

In the case of the sea of garbage in Parañaque, Dizon said all resources from the MMDA, DPWH and local government units, including manpower through emergency employment, were redirected to the clean-up drive.

The MMDA earlier pointed out the urgency to clean the waterways to avoid widespread flooding in Parañaque City and nearby areas since the river where the tons of trash are piled up is among the major waterways leading to the Manila Bay.

Aside from heavy equipment to remove the garbage and trucks to transport the removed garbage, the MMDA also deployed a trash skimmer to facilitate and expedite the entire clean-up drive.

A trash skimmer is a specialized mechanical device designed to collect floating trash, plastic, and organic debris from rivers, harbors, and waterways to prevent clogging and pollution.

So far, around 400 metric tons of trash were already collected from the river and authorities are deploying more personnel and resources in the area for the clean-up drive.