MMDA 3-day Baclaran cleanup hauls 3 weeks' worth of trash amid Habagat

Three weeks worth of trash was collected in three days along the Redemptorist Water Channel in Parañaque City following the continuous rains brought by the Southwest Monsoon (Habagat) this week, according to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.

MMDA General Manager Nicholas Torre III said the accumulated garbage was collected from the waterway and the pumping station.

“Itong Redemptorist is really something… Three-fourths ng buwan. Ibig sabihin, 3 weeks' worth of trash in the waterways and pumping station combined nakuha dun sa tatlong araw,” Torre told Super Radyo dzBB on Sunday.

(The Redemptorist Water Channel is really something. This means three weeks’ worth of trash, or three-fourths of a month, from the waterway and pumping station combined was collected over the three days.)

“Bago ang Redemptorist, 1,000 tonelada ng basura ang nakolekta mula sa pumping station at water channel (Before the incident in Redemptorist, 1,000 tons of trash were collected in the pumping station and water channel),” he added.

The Redemptorist Water Channel, also known as the Baclaran River, recently went viral after trash from Manila Bay ended up in the waterways of Parañaque City, a volume so thick it practically covered the water.

However, Torre clarified that the garbage floating along the channel not only came from Parañaque City but also from nearby areas, as fishing nets, bamboo, logs, and other trash were found amid the waste.

The MMDA official urged the public to follow proper waste disposal set by local government units, as about 10,000 tons of garbage are collected in Metro Manila daily.

In a bid to address the growing waste in landfills and the energy crisis, the Marcos administration is planning to establish waste-to-energy facilities.

According to the United States Energy Information Administration, waste-to-energy plants burn garbage to produce steam, which will be used to power an electric generator turbine.

Meanwhile, environmental group BAN Toxics called for the review and stronger implementation of Republic Act 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.

BAN Toxics said improper waste disposal, inadequate infrastructure, and low public awareness show the need for stronger law enforcement.

Citing the Compendium of Philippine Environmental Statistics in 2025, BAN Toxics said the Philippines had only 20,458 materials recovery facilities despite having more than 42,000 barangays. —RF, GMA News