Tons of trash collected from cleanup of esteros in Manila
Government officials on Sunday led the cleanup of esteros of 10 rivers connected to the Manila Bay, with tons of trash removed from the waterways.
According to a Sunday report on GMA 7 news program 24 Oras, officials of the Departments of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Interior and Local Government (DILG), Tourism (DOT), and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) led the cleanup.
"Eto kami, nagco-concentrate sa sources, kaya eto ang problema talaga dito ay basura at tsaka yung colliform na nanggagaling sa informal settlers," said DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu.
"'Pag na-solve natin ito ay medyo lilinis lalo yung Pasig River, lilinis lalo yung Manila Bay."
The rehabilitation of the Manila Bay began in January, which Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu was reported to have called a "magnified cesspool" given its high coliform levels.
Environment Assistant Secretary Daniel Darius Nicer of the DENR's Anti-Corruption Office — the office in charge of the bay's rehabilitation — said the cleanup would continue even beyond the term of President Rodrigo Duterte.
"'Yung memo circular ko na pinalabas para mag-clean up ang mga barangay, that is already a rule. Kapag hindi nila ginawa 'yan, merong kasamang sanction," DILG Secretary Eduardo Año meanwhile added. — Jon Viktor Cabuenas/DVM, GMA News
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