Almost 3,000 cubic meters of material from the different creeks and waterway or “esteros” in the metropolis had been collected by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) as part of the agency’s program “Estero Blitz 6”.
The MMDA’s “Estero Blitz” campaign, involves de-clogging and dredging of creeks and drainages in flood-prone areas in Metro Manila.
This cleanup scheme was launched on August 2011 with the main goal to prevent massive flooding.
In a summary report to the MMDA Chairman Emerson Carlos , the head of the agency’s Flood and Sewerage Management Office (FSMO), Baltazar Melgar, said that a total of 2,989 m3, or 288 truckloads of refuse and silt have been scooped out of five major esteros and sewers in Manila.
“With this regular clean up, we expect that floods in low lying areas of Metro Manila would quickly subside after heavy rainfall,” the MMDA chief said, noting that agency personnel, along with barangay officials, should keep these waterways clear of any debris.
The cleanup will be conducted at 273 creeks and waterways all over Metro Manila.
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