Environment and sustainability

Manila occupies the low, narrow deltaic plain of the Pasig River, which flows northwestward to Manila Bay. The swampy delta of the southward-flowing Pampanga River lies to the north of the city. Immediately to the northeast and east of the urban region lies a stretch of lowlands, beyond which rise the peaks of the southern range of the Sierra Madre. Laguna de Bay, the large lake from which the Pasig River flows, flanks Metropolitan Manila to the southeast. Enclosing Manila Bay to the west is the mountainous Bataan Peninsula. Although the city’s area is constricted, it is an excellent port site because of its sheltered harbour, its access to inland agricultural areas by way of the river, and its relative proximity to the Asian mainland.

According to the World Health Organization, Manila is in a state of a “silent emergency” as billions of people have limited access to clean water and basic sanitation. Many of the deaths suffered by the children are directly related to issues surrounding access to clean water. 

Ultimately, access to clean water is essential to protect the population from exposure to infections carried by contaminated water sources. Poorly contained trash, combined with water becomes a breeding ground for diseases.