Making Manila Bay great again
Efforts to rehabilitate Manila Bay still have a long way to go. But, since the project kicked off earlier this year, there have been remarkable results—the government, together with mandated agencies, the private sector, and civil society groups, has been very busy.
For the initial phase of the restoration project, over 5,000 government workers and volunteers helped in collecting 45 tons of garbage. This included the cleanup of esteros, waterways, and coasts along an area stretching from the Manila Yacht Club to the US Embassy.
The bay is also undergoing desilting and dredging operations, especially at the mouth of major river systems in NCR. So far, over 25,000 tons of plastic and silt were extracted along the US Embassy alone.
According to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – NCR Regional Public Affairs Office (DENR-NCR), there has also been a decrease in the amount of fecal coliform bacteria found in Manila Bay waters. The levels, however, are still significantly high, which is why the bay area is still unsafe for swimming.
As of now, the DENR is in the process of gathering data on pollution levels and accounting of environmental compliance of establishments in Metro Manila to make way for stronger enforcement and management. The agency needs to determine the extent of the bay’s degradation to ascertain the causes and sources of pollution. “[This is] to enable us—in consultation with experts and stakeholders—to offer concrete, effective, and sustainable solutions to the problem,” the DENR-NCR told
“Indeed, all our efforts will be for naught if we fail to create a complete, scientific, and verified assessment of the situation of Manila Bay.”
They have also set up additional water quality monitoring stations and increased the frequency of collecting water samples for
analysis. This will help determine what proper interventions need to be done.
The second phase covers the rehabilitation of old sewer lines in NCR and the relocation of informal settlers living near the area. Initial studies by the DENR identify four major causes of pollution along the Manila Bay: Solid waste, septage or sewage, informal settler families living along waterways, and the degradation of riparian and coastal ecosystems. Solid waste appears to be the most visible pollutant and deadly levels of coliform come from the direct discharge of waste from sewer lines and septic tanks.
“In Metro Manila, for example, only 20.45 percent of the 13,040,123 customers of Maynilad and Manila Water are connected to sewer lines,” DENR-NCR explained. “The rest of its customers—roughly 10 million—rely on septic tanks, most of which are defective. And of these 10 million or so, the water concessionaries are only able to provide sanitation service to 1,894,175, or a mere 14.53 percent. This would explain the high levels of coliform found in our rivers, esteros, and canals.”
Although brimming with high hopes, the DENR believes the rehabilitation has a long way to go. That poverty is prevalent among the 7,000 families residing along the waterways and creeks of the bay does not help. Unfortunately, their houses, some of which even sit directly on top of major rivers, prevent the free flow of water into the bay. Their waste is also directly discharged into the bay, causing more pollution. As a temporary fix, the families in surrounding waterways were given access to temporary sanitation facilities while the rehabilitation and major planning for their formal relocation sites are ongoing.
The third phase is all about the sustainability of efforts and the education of citizens to ensure that Manila Bay will remain clean. Government will also continue to enforce environmental laws strictly. The physical process to rehabilitate the bay will take a while. But what’s more challenging is getting the support and cooperation of people in maintaining the results, especially in waste management and with compliance to the environmental laws.
“Inspiring as well as sustaining positive behavior change is a major challenge,” the DENR-NCR notes. “This applies not only to ordinary citizens but also [to] people from both the government and private sector. We need them to be on board and convince them that helping [with] the Manila Bay Rehabilitation Project will benefit them in the long run.” (With reports from Dom Galeon)