President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Saturday spearheaded the launch of the Bayanihan sa Estero Program, a major initiative of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) aimed at boosting the cleanup and maintenance of Metro Manila’s drainage systems.
The kickoff took place at Buli Creek in Barangay Pinagbuhatan, Pasig City, where the President joined MMDA Chairman Romando Artes and Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto in inspecting ongoing cleanup operations. The program focuses on restoring the flow of esteros and waterways to mitigate flooding, particularly during the rainy season.
Marcos observed how water hyacinths were cleared from the creek using heavy equipment, loaded onto trucks, and brought to a mobile recovery facility. There, by-products such as lily pots and charcoal briquettes from the removed plants were displayed, along with recycled materials like hollow blocks and plastic bricks gathered from the estero.
According to the MMDA, the program targets 23 priority esteros that suffer from severe siltation, solid waste accumulation, and slow water flow—conditions that make surrounding communities more vulnerable to flooding. Of these, 12 esteros have already undergone extensive cleanup, yielding 881 cubic meters of waste. Cleanup efforts for the remaining 11 are ongoing in coordination with local government units.
“Our initiatives play a vital role in flood mitigation,” MMDA Chairman Artes emphasized. “We need to intensify these efforts of declogging our drainage laterals, dredging of open waterways, desilting of drainage mains, and removal of accumulated solid waste with the help of our stakeholders.”
He added, “The Bayanihan sa Estero Program symbolizes collective action… from esteros to barangays, from government to houses—if we are united, real change is attainable.”
