MMDA collects 138 tons of trash in Luneta

MANILA, Philippines - The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has collected 23 truckloads of trash in the wake of the visit of Pope Francis.

MMDA Metroparkway Clearing Group head Francis Martinez said a total of 138 tons of trash were collected from the Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park (formerly Luneta), where the Pope celebrated Mass on Sunday.

Martinez said most of the trash collected at the grounds of the Quirino Grandstand were discarded raincoats left by the gathered crowd, Styrofoam food containers, barbecue sticks, fruit peelings, cardboard, food leftovers, plastic bags, candy wrappers and water plastic bottles.

Martinez said the collected garbage were all brought to the dumpsite at Pier 18 in Manila’s Port Area.

The MMDA earlier deployed 600 street cleaners for the five-day state and apostolic visit of the Pope.

According to Martinez, the MMDA used the strategy of clearing the streets as soon as the Pope’s motorcade has passed by. This was also the same technique used by the MMDA during the Black Nazarene Translacion last January 9.

“We begin clearing as soon as the events are finished. The dump truck is also nearby,” he said. with Jona Espejo