A SPECIALIZED vessel will be deployed beginning today, June 30, to clean up Manila Bay, according to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
The MV Nilad is a 101-ton, 25-meter-long vessel specifically designed for cleanup operations. It is equipped with specialized tools, including a trash skimmer, to collect floating debris, a deck crane to handle and unload heavy waste, and an oil boom for rapid response to oil spills.
The Nilad was donated by the South Korean government through the Korea International Cooperation Agency (Koica). It is part of a five-year, $8.2-million partnership known as the Enhancement of Marine Litter Management in Manila Bay (EMLM) Project.
The project intends to improve solid waste management, fortify environmental protection mechanisms, and encourage behavioral change in order to lessen marine pollution.
The DENR said the government is using a whole-of-government approach for marine litter management.
Three government agencies will team up to operate and maintain the vessel: the DENR, the Department of Transportation (DOTr), and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
Aside from the Nilad, the project also includes a specialized crane truck on land to help transport waste once the vessel brings it to the shore.
The DENR said the vessel would improve the government's ability to respond to pollution crises, gather floating waste, and safeguard coastal ecosystems.
A study by De La Salle University Dasmariñas found there are still over 6.5 million pieces of garbage weighing over 203,000 kilograms scattered along the bay's 190-kilometer coastline.
Some 91 percent is plastic, mostly consisting of single-use items like sachets, plastic bags, plastic bottles and cigarette butts.
While pollution is a big issue, the DENR said the current cleanup efforts show positive results.
A 2024 survey showed a 36 percent drop in the volume of waste and a 42 percent decrease in the total weight of waste compared to 2023.
The deployment of the Nilad is a significant step toward expanding on-water cleanup efforts.
“The MV Nilad strengthens even more our ability to address marine litter in Manila Bay," Environment Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna said.
Cuna also underlined the significance of internal cooperation in addressing environmental issues that transcend national borders.
He said internal collaboration remains essential to addressing marine litter, which continues to affect coastal ecosystems throughout the region.
The deployment of the Nilad is expected to help the Philippines' intervention for Asean+3, which aims to strengthen regional integration and promote resilience, connectivity, and sustainable growth. This is in line with Sustainable Development Goal 14.1 on reducing marine pollution and supports the Philippine Development Plan's goal of building resilient and sustainable communities.
