DENR National Capital Region Regional Executive Director Jacqueline A. Caancan spoke before guests and participants of the 2022 Metro Manila Partner’s Forum for Adopt an Estero/Waterbody Program held on Friday, 22 April 2022, at Seda Hotel, Vertis North, Quezon City.
The event, organized by the DENR Environmental Management Bureau-National Capital Region (EMB-NCR), gathered partner organizations and communities of the program to present the status of adopted esteros and exchange their ideas, innovations, and experiences in keeping rivers and esteros in their areas clean. To date, however, only 54 out of 273 water bodies in Metro Manila have been adopted.
Director Caancan stressed the need to improve efforts in partnership development as the success of the Manila Bay Rehabilitation Program rests heavily on the cleanup of the rivers and esteros draining water to Manila Bay. “All of our cleanup efforts and interventions downstream will be for naught if the waters that come upstream remain dirty and polluted”, Director Caancan explained. “Government cannot do the cleanup alone, which is why we are appealing for the cooperation of every concerned group, organization, even individuals, to help us in mainstreaming the Adopt an Estero/Waterbody Program.
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