Following their oath-taking on November 15, 2019 estero rangers from the cities of Manila, Mandaluyong, Makati and Pasig responded to the challenge of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Pasig River Task Force to clean the esteros draining to the Pasig River.

The Pasig River Task Force is designated by the DENR to coordinate activities among the stakeholders of the Pasig River to address the garbage situation in the river and its tributaries. The estero rangers assigned in these waterways shall support the Task Force on the ground. They shall also complement DENR field personnel in patrolling the esteros to ensure proper solid waste management by preventing littering and accumulation of garbage.

Last November 18, some 500 rangers from the four citiesparticipated in an orientation with the Pasig River Task Force at the DENR-Central Office Covered Court. Present to welcome them were DENR Pasig River Task Force Chair Assistant Secretary Corazon C. Davis, Task Force co-chair DENR Assistant Secretary Joan A. Lagunda, and DENR-NCR Regional Executive Director Jacqueline A. Caancan.

The orientation served to inform the estero rangers of their assigned tasks and to introduce them to the river warriors of the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission (PRRC). The river warriorsare considered as veterans in cleaning waterways and are tasked to collect and remove garbage from the Pasig River to prevent clogging its esteros. One river warrior, assigned to one estero ranger team with around 13 members, is tasked to orient the team on river clean-ups.

During the orientation, Asec. Davis emphasized that “half the work is done if we know each other”.

PRRC has identified thirty-six (36) esteros/creeks within the cities of Manila, Makati, Mandaluyong and Pasig that drain to Pasig River. In coordination with the Task Force, it shall assign estero ranger teams for the clean up of the Pasig River. It shall also monitor and include the rangers in its cleanup program. The estero ranger teams started work on their assigned areas on November 19, 2019.###