DENR: Manila Bay cleanup on track

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has maintained that it made significant strides in the cleanup of Manila Bay amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu said yesterday the rehabilitation of Manila Bay continued despite restrictions in mobilizing people, especially for the cleanup, monitoring and enforcement activities.

Cimatu noted that the solar-powered sewage treatment plant (STP) inaugurated in July was among the DENR’s major accomplishments for the rehabilitation of the bay.

The STP is capable of treating 500,000 liters of wastewater per day from three drainage outfalls: Padre Faura, Remedios and Estero de San Antonio Abad.

“Among the priority areas for rehabilitation, a significant decrease in fecal coliform was recorded in three sites – the Baywalk area, Estero de San Antonio Abad and Baseco Beach,” Cimatu said.

Aside from the priority areas, cleanup activities were regularly conducted in creeks, esteros and river systems with an average 60 metric tons of garbage collected daily.

Dredging and desilting operations were also conducted in collaboration with the Department of Public Works and Highways.

Cimatu said the Manila Bay Task Force likewise introduced geo-engineering interventions in the bay, such as the installation of trash booms and silt curtains.

In Baseco, a circumferential sewerage interceptor was constructed and communal septic tanks were installed to minimize the direct discharge of untreated wastewater to the bay.

Recently, Project Kubeta Ko was launched at the Parola Compound in Tondo by the city government of Manila, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Maynilad Water Services Inc., Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System and the DENR.

The project aims to minimize open defecation in Manila Bay by informal settler families. It adopted a portable, container-based toilet solution to provide temporary sanitation facilities for ISFs prior to relocation.