Pumirma ang Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) at Rotterdam-based non-profit group na The Ocean Cleanup sa five-year agreement para bawasan ang floating waste sa Pasig River bago ito umabot sa Manila Bay at karagatan.
Ayon sa DENR, gagamit ang partnership ng low-cost innovative technologies at waste interception systems para saluhin ang plastic waste na nasa waterways na, habang tinutulungan ang mas malawak na Pasig River rehabilitation efforts.
“The Pasig River has carried the burden of our consumption habits for far too long,” ani Environment Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna.
“We cannot allow this river to remain a pipeline of plastic to the ocean. This agreement is a decisive step toward breaking that cycle,” dagdag niya.
Isasama sa proyekto ang technology ng The Ocean Cleanup at ang regulatory push ng gobyerno sa ilalim ng Republic Act 11898, o Extended Producer Responsibility Act, na nag-uutos sa malalaking kumpanya na bawiin at i-recycle ang plastic packaging na ginagawa nila.
Kilala ang The Ocean Cleanup sa large-scale river at ocean cleanup systems. Ayon sa DENR, nakapag-deploy na ito ng 21 interceptors sa 10 bansa at nakalikom ng mahigit 52 million kilograms ng waste mula sa aquatic environments as of April 2026.
Ang systems nito ay solar-powered, automated, at dinisenyo para sa high-volume waste capture. Iaangkop ito sa mabigat na waste load sa Pasig River system.
Sinabi ni Cuna na tugma ang proyekto sa direktiba ni President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. sa ilalim ng “Pasig Bigyang Buhay Muli” project.
“By integrating The Ocean Cleanup’s cutting-edge solutions with the government’s local restoration programs, the partnership aims to fulfill the President’s vision of a clean, navigable, and vibrant Pasig River that serves as a cornerstone for sustainable urban renewal and national pride,” ani Cuna.
Kasama rin ang Manila Bay region sa 30 Cities Program ng The Ocean Cleanup, na layong palawakin ang interceptor deployments sa key cities sa Asia at Americas para bawasan ang plastic na dumadaloy mula ilog patungong karagatan bago matapos ang dekada.
Tututukan din ng partnership ang knowledge transfer sa Pasig River Coordinating and Management Office sa ilalim ng DENR-National Capital Region para kaya ng local authorities na ipagpatuloy ang cleanup operations matapos ang project period.
“This ensures that once the project reaches maturity, local authorities will be fully equipped with the specialized skills and technological insights necessary to maintain the river’s cleanliness for future generations,” ani Cuna.
Para kay Boyan Slat, founder at CEO ng The Ocean Cleanup, mahalaga ang matibay na local partnership sa paglaban sa plastic pollution.
“This agreement with DENR brings together local leadership and global expertise to accelerate action in one of the world’s most important coastal regions. By combining research, data, and operational experience, we can identify where our Interceptor technology will have the greatest impact and help stop plastic before it reaches Manila Bay and the ocean,” ani Slat.
“The Ocean Cleanup has deployed solutions around the world and demonstrated that large-scale reduction of plastic pollution is achievable,” dagdag niya.
Ayon sa DENR, nagsimula na ang preparations para sa deployments sa Manila Bay region. Halos 100 sites na ang sinusuri ng The Ocean Cleanup para matukoy ang priority locations.
Bukod sa Pasig River sites, naghahanda rin ang grupo na maglagay ng unang interceptor barrier nito sa Meycauayan River sa Bulacan para bawasan ang plastic leakage papuntang Manila Bay.
Sinusuportahan din ng Energies PH, isang renewable energy developer sa bansa, ang trabaho ng The Ocean Cleanup sa Manila.
“This partnership allows us to confront the problem from both ends — by holding producers accountable and by deploying the technology needed to intercept the waste already in our waters,” ani Cuna. /Bistado