ILOILO City – With over 700 kilograms of trash being pulled from its drainage systems daily, the city government is intensifying its crackdown on waterway pollution by installing 10 additional waste traps and moving to hold barangays accountable for unmanaged waste.
Engr. Neil Ravena, chief of the General Services Office (GSO), said the city has seen a significant increase in solid waste retrieved from drainage outfalls connected to major rivers such as the Iloilo River, Batiano River, and Dungon Creek.
“Daily recovery now exceeds 700 kilos — just from our drainage system alone,” Ravena said. “Before it hovered around 600 kilos, but the volume keeps rising.”
In response, the GSO is expanding its waste trap program by installing 10 new units at key outfall points to intercept garbage before it flows into the city’s river systems. Existing traps at Dungon Creek and Batiano River have already yielded positive results, he noted.
“This is a preventive strategy,” Ravena explained. “Our storm drains act as conduits for street garbage to reach the river. Waste traps serve as our frontline defense to reduce pollution before it reaches open water.”
But the city is not stopping at interception. Ravena confirmed that the administration will start tracing the source of the waste by mapping barangays along the creeks and riverbanks.
A technical conference will be held with barangay officials found to be contributing to the trash problem.
“Just this morning, we saw fresh garbage along Sunset Boulevard and parts of the Iloilo River,” he reported. “We are identifying the barangays where these came from and will call their officials to explain.”
The initial dialogues will serve as a warning. If barangays fail to implement corrective measures, formal notices of violation will be issued and penalties will follow.
“If they don’t act on the problem, the city will escalate enforcement,” Ravena said.
The multi-agency campaign aligns with Mayor Jerry Treñas’ broader environmental thrust to rehabilitate Iloilo’s rivers and address urban flooding — issues directly tied to garbage-clogged drainage systems.
The city’s Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) is among the agencies coordinating efforts, with enforcement, education, and accountability forming the pillars of the intensified initiative./PN
