DPWH eyes bigger machines for Manila Bay cleanup

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is planning to bring in larger machines to help remove deep-seated sediment from Manila Bay, an official said yesterday.

“We are now encountering difficulty. The sediments in the outer sea area are more compact, maybe because there are already several layers of sediment that have solidified over the years. So now we are assembling a larger amphibious excavator to loosen the sediment in the Manila Bay,” said Noel Ilao, DPWH Bureau of Equipment director.

 The new amphibious excavator would have a shorter arm than the three existing machinery but it would have a bigger bucket capacity, he said.

 “Having a shorter arm would also be useful because it would have more force or strength in digging out the sediments,” Ilao added.

 The DPWH has been using 28 pieces of equipment, including three new amphibious excavators, two dumping scows and a debris segregator for the Manila Bay cleanup.

Ilao said while the DPWH personnel currently work only for one shift, the agency will form a second shift of personnel who would work from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.

He explained that even if the DPWH has 11 trucks at its disposal, workers can only haul three truckloads of garbage to a facility in Taguig City because of traffic gridlocks. By setting up another shift, the DPWH can use the lighter flow of traffic at night to transport the collected garbage, Ilao said.

For this year, the desilting would cover 1.5 kilometers, from the United States embassy to the Manila Yacht Club breakwater; 50 meters from the coastline and .80 to one meter deep. The 2019 target is to remove 225,000 cubic meters of silt.