The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Aboitiz organized a San Juan River System All Stakeholders Consultation Workshop at the Mercure Manila Ortigas last November 29, 2019 to gather various barangay officials from cities which are part of the Maytunas and Buhangin Creeks -- mainly those from the City of Manila, Mandaluyong City, and San Juan -- to discuss about the rehabilitation of the San Juan River System.
In pursuance of Administrative Order 16, s. 2019 "Expediting the Rehabilitation and Restoration of the Coastal and Marine Ecosystem of the Manila Bay and Creating the Manila Bay Task Force," the Aboitiz Group initiated the San Juan River System (Manila Bay) Rehabilitation to support the national program of the DENR on a cleaner Manila Bay. The initiative involves the development and implementation of the program that aims to reduce pollution in the river through clean-up, rehabilitation, conservation, and preservation of the bay.
In pursuance of Administrative Order 16, s. 2019 "Expediting the Rehabilitation and Restoration of the Coastal and Marine Ecosystem of the Manila Bay and Creating the Manila Bay Task Force," the Aboitiz Group initiated the San Juan River System (Manila Bay) Rehabilitation to support the national program of the DENR on a cleaner Manila Bay. The initiative involves the development and implementation of the program that aims to reduce pollution in the river through clean-up, rehabilitation, conservation, and preservation of the bay.
The #WOWSanJuanRiver is a program among DENR, Aboitiz Group, and other stakeholders to act on the Battle for Manila Bay rehabilitation. With a vision of a clean and healthy San Juan River System, Win Over Waste (WOW) has three (3) components: maximum stakeholder participation (WE over Waste), community-to-household interventions (WEALTH out of waste), and sustainable impact and value creation, the WOW state (Win Over Waste).
The main objective of the project is the rehabilitation of the river and to collect efforts from various stakeholders for a positive environmental impact. The initiative focuses on the partnership with the local government units (LGUs) and communities to tackle about waste management system in the area. It also focuses on improving the quality of water in the river through reusing, reducing, and recycling to lessen waste production. This will be possible by promoting and ensuring the effective delivery of waste services in the communities. The barangay officials envision a silt- and garbage-free creek where easement zones are observed, low prevalence of water-borne diseases, and proper education and discipline of the communities for their well-being. Various threats of the project were noted as well as various programs proposed for every component of WOW.#