MMDA urges discipline in waste disposal amid worsening floods

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) urges the public to practice discipline in waste disposal to prevent worsening floods during the ongoing southwest monsoon.

MMDA personnel have retrieved significant amounts of garbage, including furniture like sofas and refrigerators, from creeks and drainage systems, hindering the efficiency of 71 pumping stations operating at full capacity.

MMDA chair Don Artes stated that the agency found large amounts of garbage clogging drainage systems, exacerbating flooding issues.

Artes mentioned that 273 streets around Metro Manila have been identified as flood-prone specifically due to blockages caused by garbage.

He cited White Plains Avenue in Quezon City as an example where canal clearing was necessary to allow floodwaters to recede.

Artes also noted that Metro Manila's drainage systems are over 50 years old and are already small, making the problem of clogged drains more severe.