Uncontrolled dumping of raw sewage in coastal areas, particularly those that are thickly populated or used heavily by tourists, contributes to dangerous water contamination levels. The lack of point-source and nonpoint-source pollution controls are the main factors that contribute to the degradation of water quality in the Philippines.
The problem of solid waste disposal is most serious in urban centers, particularly Metro Manila, because of high population density, high consumption rates, and the concentration of packaged goods, and packaging materials, some of which are toxic and nonbiodegradable.3 The Philippines generates 30,000 tons of garbage per day. Metro Manila alone produces 8,000 tons per day, of which only 70 percent is collected. For the whole country, only half of the garbage generated is collected. Uncollected garbage ends up mostly in rivers, esteros, and other water bodies, clogging the drainage system and leading to floods and the pollution of major water bodies.
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3 DENR, National State of Brown Environment, 2009.