DILG hopes to bring back beauty of Manila Bay with ‘One Day, One Bay’ campaign

On this October 23 file photo, volunteers and environmentalists join the clean up project early morning to restore the Manila Bay.PHOTO BY JESS YUSON

MANILA, Philippines – In a bid to restore the pristine waters of Manila Bay, the Department of Interior and Local Government-National Capital Region (DILG-NCR) is spearheading a massive clean-up campaign of Metro Manila waterways interconnected to the bay through an event tagged “One Day, One Bay.”

Set to take place on November 26 from 6 a.m. to 12 noon in all local government units in Metro Manila, DILG Secretary Jessie Robredo said that this project would be the beginning of an annual event wherein people would be re-educated about their responsibilities to nature.

There are 677,684 households of informal settlers living in areas declared as “permanent danger areas” around the waterways who are greatly contributing to the 8,726 tons of garbage collected per day in Metro Manila. “In this most urbanized zone of the country, we are generating the most toxic environment,” Robredo said.

Robredo said that due to the deteriorating quality of water in Manila Bay, its mangrove cover has been reduced from 54,000 to only 425. Its fish catch has also declined by 85 percent since 1970.

Robredo said that if Manila Bay’s condition would not improve, “we are slowly killing ourselves here in Metro Manila.”

He said that his department’s goal for 2015 would be to reduce pollution by 50 percent and increase vegetation cover by 25 percent.

Campaign leader in Manila, DILG-NCR Regional Director Renato Brion, said that more than raising consciousness and awareness on this serious problem on waste management, the department was hoping to generate commitment from everybody.

“People should do their share by not throwing their trash just anywhere and letting it flow towards Manila Bay,” Brion said.

“From this event, we are expecting to fill up at least 10 trucks with collected garbage,” he said.

Meanwhile, Brion also said that the DILG was coordinating with the National Housing Authority and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority for the relocation of the informal settlers living near the waterways.

To be part of the one-day clean-up event on November 26, registration can be made over www.onedayonebay.blogspot.com. Also facebook users can like their page on at www.facebook.com/onedayonebay, or follow their twitter at https://twitter.com/#!/OneDayOneBay.