Jamaine Punzalan

Article (news)

Harlene Delgado

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17865117020061786511701040.jpeg" style="width:960px;display:block;height:auto" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Clean-up operations at the Redemptorist Water Channel, August 11, 2026. Jessie Cruzat, ABS-CBN News</span></span></span>MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. called the garbage problem “critical” after a sea of trash floated in parts of Manila Bay and its tributaries following heavy rains brought about by enhanced southwest monsoon or Habagat.</div><p>Marcos on Wednesday visited the Diokno pumping station in Pasay City and the Redemptorist Water Channel in Baclaran, Parañaque City where tons of garbage were being hauled as part of ongoing clearing and waste collection operations. </p><p>“Just look at it.  If that’s not look critical to you, it does to me.  So yes, I wouldn&#x27;t call it a garbage crisis but that is the problem that we are facing,” Marcos said, when asked by the media if he considered the situation as a<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/11/-garbage-crisis-cleanup-intensified-as-trash-overwhelms-redemptorist-channel-in-para-aque-0947"> “garbage crisis”</a> as earlier tagged by Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon. </p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/11/-garbage-crisis-cleanup-intensified-as-trash-overwhelms-redemptorist-channel-in-para-aque-0947">‘Garbage crisis’: Cleanup intensified as trash overwhelms Redemptorist channel in Parañaque</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>STIFFER PENALTIES</strong></div><p>Asked about proposals to impose stiffer penalties on improper waste disposal, Marcos appeared not keen about the idea and instead cited the need to create first a proper waste disposal system including adequate garbage cans. </p><p>“Ang problema kung minsan, walang basurahan. Walang pupuntahan, walang paglalagyan ng basura. and look at the place like a country like Japan, they just don&#x27;t throw their basura anywhere, they keep it in the pockets and throw it at home because there is a very good system for bringing the garbage out. That is the first problem,” he said.</p><p>“So it&#x27;s not useful to find people for not throwing their garbage if there is no place to put their garbage so that&#x27;s That&#x27;s what, that&#x27;s, of course, people are aware that there are fines. Nobody wants to be fined. Wala naman gustong mamumultahan. Pero kailangan bigyan din natin ng facilities na kung saan pwede itapon ang basura,” he added.  </p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/12/mmda-pushes-for-local-ordinances-on-p5-000-littering-penalty-1240">MMDA pushes for local ordinances on P5,000 littering penalty</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>WASTE TO ENERGY </strong></div><p>As part of the solution, the chief executive said the government was looking at establishing waste-to-energy plants in the country. </p><p>“In terms of the technical side that’s done, natapos na natin ‘yun. Now what we are trying to do is to put the system together, how it will be, what is the relationship of the LGUs to the waste to the energy plant,” he said. </p><p>The Department of Energy will be conducting the auction “in a couple of months”, Marcos said. </p><p>“So, it&#x27;s a new system that we really have to start putting in place. Maybe we will begin to see it in a year, a year and a half. We&#x27;ll push it as quickly as we can, certainly,” he added. </p><p>Meanwhile, Dizon said the government needed to come up with a “drastic solution” to address what he called a “garbage crisis.” </p><p>“Kasi hindi na pwede yung, hindi naman natin pwedeng gawin na lang ito araw-araw ng buhay natin. Naglilinis na lang tayo ng ganito, hindi pwede,” the DPWH chief said.</p><p>“Hindi sustainable yung ganito. So kailangan talaga ng drastic na solutions na gawin ang gobyerno,” he added.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="960" height="540" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/B81cjrvenBM?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. called the garbage problem “critical” after a sea of trash floated in parts of Manila Bay and its tributaries following heavy rains brought about by enhanced southwest monsoon or Habagat.</p>

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. called the garbage problem “critical” after a sea of trash floated in parts of Manila Bay and its tributaries following heavy rains brought about by enhanced southwest monsoon or Habagat.

Marcos says garbage problem ‘critical’, eyes waste-to-energy plants

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Marcos says garbage problem ‘critical’, eyes waste-to-energy plants

Harlene Delgado,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 12, 2026 01:18 PM PHT

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Updated September 02, 2026 05:20 PM PHT

Read More:

Marcos

Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Manila Bay

pumping station

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