Birds perch on trash

Black-crowned night herons, nankeen night herons and little egrets perch atop floating domestic waste at Bulungan Market in Parañaque City on 31 January 2026. Despite January being observed as Zero Waste Month, a campaign promoting sustainable lifestyles, the pollution crisis remains stark. Data from Environmental Management Bureau - NCR show the National Capital Region generated 4.34 million tons of waste in 2025 alone.