Dr. Macrina Zafaralla is a one-woman army going around the country to promote her advocacy of reviving degraded shallow streams and rivers by a very simple and doable technique that rids the water of pollution so fishes will thrive and multiply. In the scientist’s words, the technique is called Aquatic Macrophyte Biosorption System (AMBS). In the layman’s language, the technique simply uses water plants (water hyacinth or kangkong) that are held in place by a barrier made of short bamboo poles. The plants’ roots form a mat that filters out floating solids as well as absorbs and adsorbs substances that are dissolved in water. With the clean water, various fish species make the place their home. This way, the rehabilitated water system becomes a fish habitat that becomes a continuing source of food for the people.

Sarian, Z. B. (2016, September 17). Degraded streams into fish habitat. Manila Bulletin, p. B-6.