The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority has committed to cleaning all creeks in the National Capital Region within nine months. Metro Manila has 273 creeks totaling 570 kilometers, and under Oplan Kontra Baha the MMDA has already restored 31 of them.
On Wednesday, the MMDA and the Mandaluyong city government conducted cleanup operations at Buhangin Creek in Barangay Plainview, part of the program initiated by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The creek, once narrowed to a single meter due to mud and waste, was restored to its original four-meter width.
An amphibious backhoe and smaller machinery were deployed to speed up clearing and deepening work. Mandaluyong Mayor Menchie Abalos thanked the MMDA for supporting efforts to reduce flooding in the city. Joel E. Zurbano
MMDA Chairman Romando Artes said clearing waterways is essential to mitigating flooding caused by heavy rainfall, noting that clogged esteros slow water drainage. He added that heavy silt and trash reflect worsening public disregard for proper waste disposal.
Artes said Oplan Kontra Baha encourages community participation in maintaining waterways, adding that the “Bayanihan sa Estero” initiative will be integrated into the broader effort to clean all Metro Manila creeks within nine months.
