A river near Baclaran Church turned into a sea of trash, raising concerns among Filipinos who saw garbage covering its waters.
Pictures of the scene went viral on social media and online forums, with online users expressing concern over the large volume of trash covering the surface of the body of water.
Reports said the trash covered the Baclaran Redemptionst Water Channel in Barangay Baclaran, Parañaque City following torrential rains brought by the enhanced southwest monsoon, or “habagat.”
According to the city government, the trash was carried by the waters from Manila Bay after the “trash trap” was removed due to the persistent heavy rains, causing the water channel to become polluted.
The city government said it is already clearing and hauling the garbage with the help of other government agencies, including the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).
The city government said Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon was also involved in the clearing operation and personally inspected the water channel.
The city government reminded the public to dispose of their garbage properly and refrain from throwing waste into waterways.
“Sa simpleng disiplina at pakikiisa ng bawat isa, makatutulong tayo upang mapanatiling malinis ang ating mga daluyan ng tubig at maiwasan ang pagbabara at pagbaha,” it said in its post.
Meanwhile, photos of the trash were uploaded to Reddit, garnering 2,000 upvotes and more than 280 comments from users, with some expressing concern over the scene.
A sea of trash from Manila Bay fills the river in front of Baclaran Church in Parañaque on Monday, August 10, as heavy rains brought by the southwest monsoon caused debris to accumulate in the area. According to nearby residents, it was the first time they had experienced such a situation.
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“That amount of trash is systemic. Higher penalty for littering. Better waste management. No informal settlers in waterways. We all need these solutions,” a Redditor commented.
“Tapos magtataka sila bakit sila binabaha. You reap what you sow,” another wrote.
“At this point, ‘di nako nagugulat. Ano ba ma-e-expect natin, tao walang disiplina sa pagtapon, at kahit meron man, ‘yung gobyerno, kung saan saan lang din ang ginagawang mga landfill,” a different Redditor commented.
“At kahit may maayos pang landfill, wala namang nagbabawal sa mga plastic producers na gumawa ng plastic. Lilinisin ‘yan, tapos san ba itatapon? ‘Pag umulan, sa ibang ilog naman lilitaw,” the Reddit user added.
“While the people are also to blame, the government is severely lacking in garbage management,” another Reddit user wrote.
“Oo, may mga iresponsableng tao. Pero malaki rin ang responsibilidad ng LGU (local government unit) sa usapin ng basura. Proper government intervention can encourage people to do the right thing, especially when proper systems and incentives are in place,” a different Pinoy said.
“Regular ba ang ikot ng garbage trucks? Naabot ba lahat ng constituents? Bakit hindi i-incentivize ang pagre-recycle tulad ng ginagawa sa ibang bansa? Pati pabahay para sa mga nakatira sa mga estero,” the Pinoy added.
It was reported that trash traps, an initiative of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, have prevented at least 30 metric tons of solid waste from reaching the waters of Manila Bay.
Trash traps are physical barriers or nets installed across rivers and drainage outlets to catch floating solid waste, such as plastics and wrappers, while allowing water and aquatic life, if any, to pass through.
