SONA 2026: Marcos eyes modern waste management practices to curb flooding

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Monday pushed for the amendment of the 25-year-old Ecological Solid Waste Management Act to help address the country’s flooding woes.

In his fifth State of the Nation Address, Marcos said that the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act should be aligned with modern waste management practices, such as waste-to-energy and waste treatment technology.

“Katambal ng paglaban sa katiwalian kaugnay ng mga ghost at substandard na flood control projects, naglunsad din tayo ng Oplan Kontra Baha sa buong bansa,” the President said.

(Alongside our fight against corruption involving ‘ghost’ and substandard flood control projects, we also launched ‘Oplan Kontra Baha’ nationwide.)

“Sa kabila ng mga ginagawa nating ito, kailangan pa rin nating iwasto ang ating pamamaraan sa pagtapon ng basura,” he added.

(However, despite these efforts, we still need to correct our waste disposal practices.)

Marco said that in Metro Manila, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is spearheading the cleaning of esteros and drainage systems.

He said cash-for-work programs also contributed to the massive cleanup of over 200 esteros and waterways across the country, covering Ilocos Sur, Cagayan, Camarines Sur, Negros Occidental, Cebu, Capiz, Iloilo, Lanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, Misamis Oriental, and Bukidnon.

“As we recalibrate our solid waste management systems, we can draw inspiration from the solid waste managementpractices being championed by the MMDA here in Metro Manila, such as waste recovery, processing, and upcycling,” he said.

The President cited the Carmona Sanitary Landfill of the 1990s, which he said is now the MMDA Nature Park.

“More than a multi-purpose green space, it shall soon be the base of its high-level disaster preparedness training and simulation exercises,” Marcos said. —VAL, GMA News