MMDA collects 35 trucks of trash from cemeteries

MANILA, Philippines - The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) collected at least 35 truckloads of garbage from eight cemeteries in Metro Manila as Filipinos observed All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days, an official said yesterday.

Francis Martinez, who heads the MMDA Metro Parkway Clearing Group, said they collected nine trucks of trash each from the South and North Cemeteries, five trucks each from the La Loma Public Cemetery and the Loyola Memorial Park in Marikina City, three trucks from the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City, two trucks from the Valenzuela Public Cemetery and one truck each from the San Juan Public Cemetery and the Barrachs Cemetery in Pasig City.

The MMDA said most of the collected trash consisted of beverage plastic bottles, cardboard, newspapers, candle wax, fruit remains, styrofoam boxes, plastic bags and spoiled food.

Martinez said the MMDA cleanup of the cemeteries will continue over the weekend with the volume of trash collected still expected to increase.

The observance of All Saints’ Day was described by the MMDA as peaceful, clean and orderly.

“It was peaceful and very organized. The traffic was also light at walang magulo (there was no disturbance) inside the cemeteries,” MMDA general manager Corazon Jimenez said. 

Jimenez was particularly impressed by the situation at the Loyola Memorial Park in Marikina City and the Eternal Gardens cemetery in Caloocan City.

She said there was no litter at the Loyola and compared the situation in the two cemeteries as like being at a “picnic campsite.”

“As a whole, we made it. We had disciplined people (to properly dispose of their) garbage,” she said.

Jimenez also said that coordination between the MMDA and the various local government units and cemetery administrators have contributed much to the improved conditions inside the cemeteries.

The MMDA fielded 2,378 personnel from its traffic management, clearing and emergency response units to the Metro’s 29 public and private cemeteries yesterday.

“This has worked well. We are improving each year with our participative discussions,” she said.

The MMDA collected close to 200 truckloads of garbage from three cemeteries after All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day ended last year.

Meanwhile, Bagbag Cemetery in Quezon City started cleaning up the garbage left by visitors yesterday. Roberto Francisco, who heads the solid waste management team at the cemetery, said they expect to collect around eight trucks of garbage until tomorrow.

At the Manila Memorial Park in Novaliches, park services supervisor Nathaniel Tamonte said they will start hauling garbage from the cemetery on Monday. He said they expect to collect around 50 trucks of trash.– With Janvic Mateo