Top 5 cities with the most garbage in Metro Manila

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said Metro Manila generates around 9.2 million kilograms of garbage per day, most of them from Quezon City and Manila.

The following are the top five cities in Metro Manila that generate the most waste in a single day, according to a list based on official DENR data reported Friday on Unang Hirit:

• Quezon City: 3,600 tons per day
• Manila: 1,174 tons per day
• Caloocan City: 912 tons per day
• Parañaque City: 634 tons per day
• Makati City: 474 tons per day

When it comes to the amount of trash in Quezon City, Environment Undersecretary Benny Antiporda explained that factors to be considered include the city's geography and the number of informal settlers.

"Of course, main problem, geographically malaki siya. And, of course, 'yung dami ng informal settlers, 'yun ang problema natin dito," he said.

On Manila, Antiporda said, "Pinakamalaking problema ang Manila kasi, in the first place, hiwa-hiwalay siya and malaki and, kumbaga, nandiyan 'yung lahat ng paninda, wet goods, dry goods, lahat nandyan. So ang nangyari is, mas malaki ang produksyon nila ng basura."

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said only 85 percent of the garbage produced in Metro Manila end up in sanitary landfills.

Authorities strongly urge the public to practice proper waste disposal, as the clogging of sewage system is blamed for the chronic flood problem in the National Capital Region. —Margaret Claire Layug/KBK, GMA News