IRRESPONSIBLE BEHAVIOR. The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority conducts cleanup operations of the Hagonoy Creek/Retarding Pool in order to prevent flooding in Taguig City on Friday (June 2, 2023). Around 600 kilos of trash are collected yearly from the creek, which the agency and local government said are mostly from residents who throw their garbage anywhere. (Courtesy of MMDA)
MANILA – The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) collects some 600 kilos of trash, mounted on at least 50 trucks at 12 tons each, yearly from the Hagonoy Creek/Retarding Pool located near the Hagonoy Pumping Station in Taguig City.
It is exactly the dumping-cleaning mindset that the MMDA and the Taguig City local government want the public to break free from as they led massive cleanup operations of the creek on Friday, in anticipation of the rainy season.
Garbage collected from Hagonoy Creek comes from nine villages.
"Solid waste management is everyone's responsibility, not the government alone. All of us must work together and ensure that waste is properly managed and disposed of to prevent flooding," MMDA acting chair Don Artes said in a news release.
Instead of using trash bins or disposing of properly, Artes said some opt to do it the easy way by just dumping their garbage on waterways.
He appealed to the public to help reduce flooding by avoiding indiscriminate throwing of waste along the streets and waterways.
"A key to effective solid waste management is segregating waste at the source and having effective garbage collection done at the local level," Artes said.
The agency’s massive cleanup drive requires heavy equipment and manpower.
"While we are boosting our efforts in cleanup operations to mitigate flooding, the public must do their part by observing cleanliness and proper waste disposal," he said.
Meanwhile, all 71 pumping stations managed by the agency are 100 percent operational and working at full capacity.
Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano thanked Artes for personally supervising the cleanup operations.
"The MMDA’s cleanup is not only a seasonal event but a regular and continuous activity to prevent flooding, not just in Taguig but throughout Metro Manila," Cayetano said.
Cayetano urged residents to cooperate and do their share if they want a flood-free community, lamenting that some people even throw big furniture and appliances.
"Some people's irresponsible trash management, which results in flooding, impacts others in the community -- students going to school, workers going to work, and business operations," she said.
She added that littering the streets and waterways is a violation of their city ordinance and has corresponding penalties. (PNA)
