PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday said the deployment of the Korea-donated cleanup vessel MV Nilad would significantly improve the country’s capability to collect floating debris and respond to oil spills, key components in ongoing efforts to restore Manila Bay.
In a speech during the inauguration of MV Nilad at South Harbor in Port Area, Marcos said the MV Nilad, donated by the government of the Republic of Korea through the Korea International Cooperation Agency, would help accelerate Manila Bay’s ecological recovery.
“The MV Nilad is a working vessel built for real and urgent tasks. It can collect, sort, and store up to ten tons of marine litter in a single operation. It can operate for as much as 300 to 400 hours annually. It is equipped not only for waste retrieval but also for oil spill response and environmental monitoring,” Marcos said in a speech delivered by Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez.
“MV Nilad will also aid our research. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources personnel can conduct environmental monitoring and litter assessment, turning every cleanup operation into an opportunity to learn more about our bay,” he added.
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 is part of a five-year, $8.2-million partnership known as the Enhancement of Marine Litter Management (EMLM) in Manila Bay Project.
The project aims to improve solid waste management, strengthen environmental protection mechanisms, and encourage behavioral change to lessen marine pollution.
The MV Nilad will be jointly operated by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Transportation, and Philippine Coast Guard under a memorandum of agreement to be signed during the inauguration.
A crane-equipped truck provided under the project will also support the transport and handling of waste collected from coastal and marine cleanup activities.
Marcos called on the DENR and the Philippine Coast Guard to “take care of MV Nilad so that it may continue to take care of Manila Bay.” Marcos said that Manila Bay, despite being “an iconic body of water,” remained one of the country’s “most environmentally stressed water bodies.”
He said that floating plastics and marine debris have accumulated in its waters, threatening marine life, affecting the health of nearby communities, and disrupting economic activities that depend on a clean and safe environment.
“For a long time, our government agencies have lacked a dedicated vessel capable of continuous marine litter collection, waste retrieval, and emergency oil spill response in Manila Bay,” Marcos said.
“I look forward to seeing clearer waters in Manila Bay for ourselves and our children, and a stronger friendship between our two nations in the years ahead,” he added.
According to the DENR, the project aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 14.1 on reducing marine pollution and the Philippine Development Plan’s objective of building resilient and sustainable communities.
It also supports the Philippines’ Asean+3 commitment to strengthen regional integration, resilience, connectivity and sustainable growth.
Results of the Marine Litter Monitoring Survey conducted by De La Salle University-Dasmariñas under the EMLM Project showed that more than 6.5 million litter items remain scattered along Manila Bay’s 190-kilometer coastline, with a combined weight of more than 203,000 kilograms.
Plastics accounted for 91 percent of the collected waste, consisting mainly of single-use packaging, sachets, plastic bags, beverage containers, and cigarette butts.
The DENR said the 2024 survey recorded a 36 percent reduction in litter volume and a 42 percent decrease in total waste weight compared with 2023, indicating gains from sustained cleanup efforts and interagency cooperation.
