Garbage, ‘missing’ creeks cause floods in Manila – Erap

MANILA, Philippines - The unabated dumping of garbage in Manila’s creeks, some of which are “missing,” is the main cause of flooding in the city, Mayor Joseph Estrada said yesterday.

In a speech at the Manila Hotel to mark his first 100 days as Manila mayor, Estrada said Manila generates around 8,700 tons of garbage everyday and only 70 percent is collected efficiently while 30 percent goes to canals, creeks and rivers.

The 2,610 tons of garbage “clog the drainage pipes and esteros, which used to be effective drainage systems. The disappearance of these creeks has contributed to the metropolitan flood problem,” he said.

Estrada said studies indicate 29 esteros were “kidnapped” – either covered by buildings, bridges, roads and other infrastructure.

An example is the Estero de Quiapo, which was covered when Quezon Boulevard was constructed, he said.

Estrada said he met with officials of the Japan International Cooperation Agency to ask them to help repair Manila’s drainage system, which “entails a great deal of money (that) our government does not have.”

Estrada said that a private group, which held the Quezon City leg of One Run, One Philippines at the Quezon Memorial Circle on Sunday, is cleaning 16 creeks in Manila.

“They started from the Estero de Paco. They have already transformed the esteros of San Miguel, Sampaloc, Santibanes and Aviles into clean waterways,” Estrada said.