Senator Loren Legarda called for the strict and immediate implementation of environmental laws, particularly the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act (RA No. 9003), to address the worsening effects of flooding in Metro Manila and across the country.
“We are drowning in our own waste and garbage,” Legarda said.
The principal author of RA 9003 stressed that clogged waterways filled with solid waste resulting in recurring floods are a direct consequence of poor compliance with solid waste management regulations and a glaring example of how environmental neglect and lack of discipline leads to climate-related disasters.
“We cannot expect safe, clean, and flood-free communities if we continue to disregard basic environmental rules.”
“Our waterways are clogged with garbage. This is a clear sign of non-compliance with our solid waste law. Flooding is not just a matter of inconvenience; it puts our families, our children, our neighbors, and our kababayans’ lives at risk. We cannot expect safe, clean, and flood-free communities if we continue to disregard basic environmental rules,” the veteran legislator emphasized.
Aside from improper disposal of waste, the four-term senator also cited illegally constructed infrastructure on waterways and ineffective community-level enforcement as factors that aggravate the impact of heavy rains brought by the southwest monsoon (habagat).
“Marami sa mga daluyan ng tubig, kanal, estero, at maging mga ilog ay tinayuan ng bahay, gusali, at istrukturang gawa sa semento at aspalto. We must restore these esteros and canals before more Filipinos suffer or lose their livelihoods, and worse, their lives. Patuloy tayong nalulubog dahil din sa ating kapabayaan,” the seasoned lawmaker stressed.
“Unless these root issues are confronted, no flood control projects can fully protect us and our communities. We have to acknowledge that this is not only an infrastructure problem but a behavioral and policy enforcement crisis,” the lady senator added.
She called on residents to take an active part in barangay clean-up drives and urged local government units (LGUs), MMDA, and key national agencies to intensify rehabilitation projects to clean esteros, canals, and flood-prone neighborhoods.
“Flood management is not just a government responsibility. As citizens, we also have to do our part. Flood prevention starts at home. Kung ang bawat isa sa atin ay magpapakita ng malasakit sa pamamagitan ng maayos at tamang paghihiwalay ng basura, at ang pag-iwas sa paggamit ng mga single-use plastics, unti-unti nating masosolusyonan ang problema ng pagbaha. We all must help clean and protect our communities,” Legarda said.
She also called on the maritime sector, urging them to keep their waste on board.
“All boats, ships, and vessels have equal duties to our seas. They must never dump waste into the sea as habagat currents carry garbage to coastal communities who did not cause the pollution,” Legarda pointed out.
“Our seas, oceans, and rivers are waters that sustain life–they are not trash bins.”
She reminded everyone, “Never throw anything in the street, canal, waterway, river, or sea. Our seas, oceans, and rivers are waters that sustain life–they are not trash bins.”
As a long-time advocate for climate action, Legarda emphasized that the worsening impacts of flooding and extreme weather are linked to the climate crisis. She is the principal author and principal sponsor of the Climate Change Act of 2009 and recently chaired the High-level Meeting of the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF), where she urged global leaders to accelerate climate finance, resilience-building, and nature-based solutions.
Legarda is a staunch environmental advocate and continues to champion the protection of natural ecosystems as integral to disaster resilience and sustainable development.
