The Pasig River system accounted for more than 129,000 sacks of garbage in the first six months of 2026, making it the top source of solid waste collected from Metro Manila waterways, environment officials said.

Data from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-National Capital Region (DENR-NCR) showed that cleanup crews recovered 287,442 sacks of solid waste between January and June through regular operations and quick-response activities.

The Pasig River system contributed 129,588 sacks, representing about 45 percent of the total garbage retrieved across the region. The Pasig River itself yielded the highest volume with 86,121 sacks, followed by the San Juan River with 43,467 sacks and Estero de Paco with 14,751 sacks.

According to the DENR-NCR, regular cleanup operations gathered 228,396 sacks, while emergency response teams retrieved 59,046 sacks. Waterways yielded 93.36 percent of the collected debris, with the remaining 6.64 percent recovered from surrounding easements.

Non-biodegradable waste made up the majority of the trash, while floating water hyacinths formed a significant portion of the trapped debris.

Environmental officials stressed that long-term cleanup success requires community cooperation, proper waste segregation, and a reduction in waste production to stop trash from polluting rivers and estuaries.