THE government is going all-out in its campaign against trash and flooding, Executive Secretary Ralph Recto said on Sunday.
He said the national government and local government units (LGUs) have strengthened solid waste management measures, including the continuous clearing of esteros (creeks), rivers, and drainage systems.
Recto called on the public to cooperate with the government’s efforts and change the culture surrounding garbage disposal.
He said that the “first line of defense” against floods and trash begins within the community. Thus, it is “crucial for LGUs to collaborate closely with the national government,” he said.
“The message of the President is clear: this is a problem that requires a whole-of-society approach, including our citizens,” Recto said in a statement.
“We need a widespread promotion of a culture of discipline. As we used to say, the trash you dispose of improperly will eventually come back to you,” he said in Filipino.
The Palace official said that when canals and streets are turned into trash bins, rivers “become an expressway for garbage once heavy rains pour.” “Trash has no toll gates, so its journey goes straight to Manila Bay or our larger waterways,” Recto said. “Manila Bay is not a plastic toilet. As beautiful as its sunset is, the garbage you see from irresponsible littering is just as dreadful.”
Recto met on Aug. 20 with key government agencies and LGU representatives to discuss faster clearing operations and long-term solutions to the garbage problem.
“What emerged from our meeting is that there is no garbage crisis in Metro Manila, but there is a crisis in improper waste disposal,” he said.
Under the Department of Public Works and Highways’ Oplan Kontra Baha (Operation Anti-Flood), clearing, declogging, and desilting operations remain ongoing. This is done in partnership with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and LGUs.
Recto said they are also ensuring that pumping stations remain operational and ready, while boosting logistics for swift hauling and proper waste disposal, including providing sufficient trucks, staging areas, and disposal facilities.
According to him, the flow of garbage must be cut off at the community level. He urged Filipinos to change their habitual way of discarding waste.
“This is not difficult to do because when Filipinos are abroad, we know how to follow the law: adhering to trash collection schedules, segregating, and throwing waste in the proper place. We do have discipline; hopefully, we can manifest it even more in our own country,” Recto said.
The government is considering allocating a portion of the LGUs’ national tax allotment for solid waste management projects.
The government is expanding trash traps in waterways, the Adopt-an-Estero Program, and the procurement of solid waste management equipment for 16 LGUs.
Environment Secretary Mitch Cuna, Human Settlements Secretary Ping Aliling, Public Works Undersecretary Charles Calima Jr., and MMDA Chairman Romando Artes attended the Aug. 20 meeting.
Also present were Laguna Lake Development Authority Acting General Manager Leopoldo Parumog, League of Cities of the Philippines president Mayor Francis Zamora, and League of Municipalities of the Philippines president Mayor Inno Dy.
