The cleanup was led by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, with similar efforts to be exerted in Pampanga, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Bataan in Region III, and Cavite in Region IV-A. To maintain cleanliness, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, through its Memorandum Circular 2019-09, requires 5,714 barangays along and near Manila Bay to perform followup cleaning on a weekly basis, complete with documentation. A Supreme Court continuing mandamus from December, 2008 orders local governments and agencies to “reduce the amount of solid waste ending up in bodies of water and waterways which lead to the Manila Bay,” in a bid to “reduce the pollution levels in Manila Bay to an acceptable range,” according to Ralf Rivas in Rappler.

Ortuoste, J. (2019, January 31). Manila Bay cleanup. Manila Standard, pp. A4, A5.