The Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Pollution Control Association of the Philippines Inc. are joining forces to clean up Estero de Marala that drains into the Manila Bay.
Secretary Roy Cimatu underscored the importance of collaboration among the national government agencies, non-government organizations, local government units and the community in rehabilitating Manila Bay and its tributaries.
“The parties to this [agreement] will develop a comprehensive program to reduce the degradation of this estero. But because this estero is linked to other water bodies, their cleanup, too, will be part of the equation,” he said.
“That will also require coordination with other barangays and LGUs, and the communities along the banks of these water bodies,” he added.
Gretchen Fontejon-Enarle, PCAPI president, said environmental protection is not only the duty of the government, but all stakeholders.
“This partnership signifies the importance, the essence of PCAPI, and hoping it will become a benchmark for other associations and organizations to do the same and take part in different environmental advocacies in order to address current environmental issues,” she said.
The 2.7-kilometer Estero de Marala is located on the boundary of the cities of Navotas and Manila.
It is linked to the Estero de Vitas in the south, Estero de Maypad in the north, and Estero de Maypajo in the east.
PCAPI is a non-stock, non-profit and non-government organization formed in June 1980 to work hand in hand with the government in the protection of the environment, and prevention, abatement and control of land, air and water pollution.
It adopted Estero de Marala under the DENR’s enhanced adopt-an-estero program that aims to collaborate between and among estero communities, donor partners, local government units, other government agencies and the DENR.
Under the arrangement, the parties agreed to develop a comprehensive program intended to reduce the possible degradation of Estero de Marala, coordinate with each other during the term of the agreement and participate in regular planning and implementation of meetings, and validate how many informal settlers are living in the area.
Both parties agree to determine the necessity and extent of the plan for the cleanup, dredging, and desilting of selected rivers, as the interventions are introduced to improve the estero.