Managing waste, mitigating floods: The case of Malabon
By Katerina Francisco
MANILA, Philippines – For a long time, Malabon City has been associated with floods. When the rainy season arrives and heavy rains pound the metro, Malabon residents anticipate waking up to floodwaters outside their homes.
The city is so vulnerable to flooding that in some parts, particularly the Artex Compound in Barangay Panghulo, floodwaters have not receded for over a decade.
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The city government has tried different tacks to ease the flooding problem, from building river walls to pumping stations. Malabon currently has 43 operational pumping stations and 102 operational flood gates, complemented by the regular declogging of canals and desilting of rivers and creeks.
In January 2013, the city council pushed an ordinance to ban plastic packaging, citing how plastic wastes end up clogging the drainage systems. The ordinance would compel business establishments not to use plastic bags or styrofoam containers for dry goods, and also prohibit the improper disposal of plastic waste.
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