Efforts to rehabilitate Manila Bay still have a long way to go. But, since the project kicked off earlier this year, there have been remarkable results—the government, together with mandated agencies, the private sector, and civil society groups, has been very busy. For the initial phase of the restoration project, over 5,000 government workers and volunteers helped in collecting 45 tons of garbage. This included the cleanup of esteros, waterways, and coasts along an area stretching from the Manila Yacht Club to the US Embassy. The bay is also undergoing desilting and dredging operations, especially at the mouth of major river systems in NCR. So far, over 25,000 tons of plastic and silt were extracted along the US Embassy alone.

Gamboa, V., & Galeon, D. (2019, May 5). Making Manila Bay great again. Manila Bulletin, p. 13.