Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. intensified the government’s flood response and mitigation efforts this week, warning that mounting garbage in Metro Manila is worsening flooding and disrupting critical drainage infrastructure.
On August 12, President Marcos inspected clearing and waste collection operations at the Diokno Pumping Station in Pasay City and the Baclaran River in Parañaque City. He described the garbage situation in Metro Manila as “critical”, saying large volumes of waste had clogged waterways and affected flood-control operations.
The president said much of the waste had been carried from Manila Bay and accumulated around the pumping station as high tides and floodwaters pushed debris into drainage systems. He warned that newly cleared waterways could quickly become blocked again without stronger waste management.
The administration has continued dredging waterways, canals and esteros under Oplan Kontra Baha (Waterways Clearing and Cleaning Operations), while pursuing a waste-to-energy programme intended to reduce the amount of garbage sent to landfills.
The waste issue has exacerbated flooding for numerous communities affected by the southwest monsoon and tropical cyclones Luis and Maymay. On August 11, President Marcos inspected a high-vacuum, self-priming drainage trailer pump at Alido Bridge in Barangay Zapote, Las Piñas City, before visiting the Verdant Covered Court in Barangay Pamplona Tres, where displaced residents were being sheltered.
The southwest monsoon, strengthened by the two successive tropical cyclones, caused flooding across several parts of Metro Manila. The Las Piñas City government reported that around 736 families from 10 barangays had been evacuated and provided temporary shelter and assistance. Health officials also distributed doxycycline to residents who had waded through floodwaters, while children, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, senior citizens and persons with disabilities received additional protection and nutritional support.
The response highlights that flood resilience depends not only on drainage infrastructure but also on waste management, evacuation capacity and inter-agency coordination. For the Philippines, integrating these areas is increasingly important to strengthen national resilience as extreme weather places greater pressure on urban infrastructure and public services.
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