The Pasay City Government joined hands with SM Smart City Infrastructure Development Corporation (SM SCIDC) and Pasay Libertad Anglers Association (PLAA) in a coastal cleanup along the Libertad Channel and nearby shores of Manila Bay as part of efforts to address challenges of flooding in Metro Manila.

Together with the SM SCIDC and PLAA, the Pasay City Government initiated an expansive clean-up operation along Manila Bay, collecting waste to avoid blocked waterways and protect the public’s health from toxic substances and hazards.

The initiative also supports President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s call for local government units to take active measures in addressing the widespread problem of flooding during his State of the Nation Address (SONA).

“Improper waste management is a serious issue that not only endangers public health, but also significantly contributes to flooding,” said Pasay Mayor Emi Calixto-Rubiano. “Garbage that’s improperly disposed of, which ranges from refrigerators to even sofas, blocks the waterways, which worsens the flooding during the typhoon season.”

With the waste that drifts to their city severely affecting the quality of living of Pasay’s constituents, the Pasay City Mayor called for a unified front to address waste management for safer and cleaner cities by strengthening their waste disposal management plans and implementing desilting of rivers to boost their water-carrying capacity, all in pursuit of safer and cleaner urban environments.