The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, in collaboration with the Malabon City government, on Thursday launched a cleanup operation as part of the agency’s Bayanihan sa Estero program, an initiative introduced by President Marcos to mitigate flooding by eliminating wastes and silts from waterways.
MMDA officials led by chairman Romando Artes and general manager Nicolas Torre III, along with Mayor Jeannie Sandoval, spearheaded the cleanup drive in Barangay Longos and Barangay Tonsuya ahead of the rainy season.
Artes gave assurance that the agency will continue to support the barangays through cleanup initiatives, pavement marking, tree trimming, misting operations, and deployment of the Mobile Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) truck, which will swap grocery items with the wastes collected by residents.
“You can expect the support and assistance of the MMDA, especially for programs focused on cleanliness, safety, and community preparedness,” he said.
Torre emphasized the importance of unity and discipline among the citizenry to maintain cleanliness and order in the barangay. “It starts with us. When we unite, we can ensure that waste will not return, and our community will remain clean and safe,” he said.
Sandoval thanked the MMDA for its continuous assistance to the city. “The MMDA is a significant help to our city, especially in preparing for the rainy season. With their support, we can strengthen the capacity of our barangays to respond to the challenges of disasters,” she said.
Alongside the cleanup drive, Artes, Torre, and Sandoval inspected the Letre Creek, the Pinagsabugan, and the Sukol Creek where tons of household discards were retrieved to enhance water flow and prevent flooding in the area.
Under the Bayanihan sa Estero Program, the MMDA serves as the lead coordinator in the execution of metro-wide estero cleanups. The concerned city or barangay serve as a partner for coordination and mobilization of manpower and resources.
The program is the agency’s response to President Marcos’ socio-economic agenda on strengthening disaster resilience.
The MMDA said it recognizes the significance of clearing waterways to cushion the impact of floods brought about by unusual heavy rains, said to be an effect of climate change and which the president described as the “new normal.”
It said heavy silts and trash clogging the waterways are products of the worsening effects of the public’s lack of discipline in garbage disposal that must be immediately addressed.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline: “MMDA brings estero cleanup program in Malabon”
