Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso has directed the planting of 100,000 bamboo trees along Roxas Boulevard, R-10, and other major thoroughfares as part of the city government’s flood control and environmental protection program.
The initiative, announced during a management committee meeting on Monday, Jan. 19, will focus on planting bamboo along riverbanks to help reinforce soil and minimize flooding during the rainy season.
Mayor Domagoso emphasized that the project aims not only to strengthen flood defenses but also to promote sustainable urban greening across Manila.
“We are doing a reinforcement in the riverside by planting bamboos all over the banks, so it will help [control] the flood water that we’re going to suffer again,” Domagoso said.
The mayor acknowledged that flooding remains a persistent problem in Manila, particularly during the wet season, but expressed optimism that the bamboo planting project would help mitigate rising water levels.
Aside from flood control, Domagoso said the program is also expected to contribute to improved air quality and environmental sustainability in the city.
“The people of Manila deserve better things from their government, so that’s now our policy: 100,000 trees,” he added.
The bamboo planting initiative forms part of the city’s broader environmental and disaster risk reduction strategy. (Diann Calucin)
