MMDA collects 4 truckloads of garbage along the Black Nazarene procession route

MMDA clean up (Facebook photo)

MANILA — The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said it had collected more than four truckloads of garbage left behind by devotees along the route of the procession of the Black Nazarene as of 1 p.m. Friday.

Francis Martinez, head of the MMDA’s Metro Parkway Clearing Group, said that 200 MMDA street sweepers collected the garbage along the procession route from the Quirino Grandstand at Manila’s Rizal Park to Manila City Hall.

According to Martinez, most of the collected waste materials were empty mineral water plastic bottles, candy, biscuit and wafer wrappers, crumpled plastic bags and some food leftovers.

”Mas kaunti ang basura ngayon compared to last year dahil midnight iyong Mass at iyong ibang deboto umuwi na dahil umulan din kaninang madaling araw (There are less trash now compared to last year because the mass was at midnight and the rain made some devotees go home),” Martinez said in an interview.

He added that they dumped the garbage near the Pier in Manila in coordination with the city government.

Martinez noted that the clearing operation was quite efficient this year as the MMDA personnel began collecting the trash as soon as the procession had passed by.

“We began clearing as soon as the procession moved along. The dump trucks were also nearby,” he said.

Martinez added that a fire truck also sprayed water on the procession route to clean and remove the stench.

The MMDA deployed some 2,000 personnel for this year’s Traslacion or procession of the Black Nazarene from the Quirino Grandstand to the Quiapo Church. These included street sweepers, traffic enforcers and emergency paramedics.