Officials from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) conducted a joint inspection Wednesday of the Integrated Solid Waste Management Facility (ISWMF) at the Vitas Pumping Station.

The assessment follows President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to evaluate flood control projects nationwide.

MMDA chairperson Atty. Don Artes said the inspection with DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman was intended to showcase the agency’s efforts in flood control and solid waste management.

“We want to show the DBM how the public funds allocated to the agency are utilized effectively for flood control projects and waste segregation and processing facilities,” Artes said at the Vitas Pumping Station in Manila.

The station is one of the MMDA’s flagship projects for promoting responsible solid waste management from waterways.

Artes explained that the facility processes collected glass and plastic wastes, primarily from pumping stations and waterways, into by-products such as eco-bricks, eco-hollow blocks, and eco-concrete barriers.

This is achieved through the Solid Waste Granulator, Brick Making Facility, and Plastic Processing Equipment. He noted the project is part of the Metro Manila Flood Management Project Phase 1, which aims to improve flood management in selected areas of Metro Manila.

Pangandaman, on the other hand, said that her inspection was a direct response to the president’s order to check the effectiveness and efficiency of flood control projects across the country.

She commended the MMDA for implementing a flood management project that not only mitigates flooding but also intercepts solid wastes that clog drainage systems and waterways, thereby improving solid waste management in Metro Manila. She suggested that “these kinds of projects should be replicated in other parts of the country, especially those in flood-prone areas.”