In the latest effort to clean up waterways in the National Capital Region, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources launched yesterday a search for the most improved estero in the NCR. Pollution in these creeks and other small waterways are among the top causes of serious flooding in Metro Manila and neighboring areas.
The search will run for several months until February next year, and awarding will be held on March 22, 2024 to coincide with the observance of World Water Day. It covers the 274 esteros in Metro Manila, which are monitored by 1,472 “rangers” deployed by the DENR, or two in every barangay traversed by creeks.
Various groups conduct periodic cleanups of the creeks together with the DENR and local government units, especially before the start of the wet season. Yet most of the creeks continue to be heavily polluted, with solid and liquid waste the biggest problem, according to environment officials. Most of the solid waste can be traced to households, particularly in informal settlements.
Barangay personnel are tasked by law to prevent the proliferation of informal settlements. Yet shanties continue to be set up along creeks and riverbanks and even under bridges. It is not unusual for barangay personnel themselves to be the landlords in these informal settlements. During typhoon season, torrential flooding often sweeps away the shanties, causing death and injuries. In some areas, illegal structures have been built over canals.
In any community, efficient solid waste management can go a long way in improving the quality of creeks and preventing clogging of drainage systems. A multisectoral approach is indispensable in cleaning up not only esteros but also rivers and coastal areas. Previous winners in the search are those that have implemented this multisectoral approach, with residents seeing themselves as stakeholders in keeping the esteros clean and their communities free from pollution and aflooding.