LOOK: Garbage galore in Manila Bay after days of Habagat

MANILA - If Boracay was a cesspool, Manila Bay's shores that greeted people on Monday morning would overqualify as a stinky toilet.

Truckloads of garbage were washed ashore Manila Bay, just outside the gates of US Embassy, a stark difference from how it was just days ago.

The trash was a mix of the usual - plastic food packaging, styrofoam and empty bottles. There were also wood from seemingly worn out furniture and dried bamboo.

Acting foreman of Manila Department of Public Services (DPS) Marissa Cristobal said trash were washed ashore by winds due to Habagat.

She showed ABS-CBN News a recent photo of the same spot of Manila Bay she took two weeks ago.

It was clean, almost inviting for a quick swim.

Cristobal said her department did its best to maintain cleanliness in the area especially with Mayor Joseph Estrada's long standing order to keep the Manila Bay clean.

But in a span of two weeks, the same spot collected so much garbage.

Asked where the garbage probably came from, Cristobal said: "Mahirap sabihin, pero wala namang mga kawayan dito sa Maynila", implying that most the garbage weren't from Metro Manila residents.

In an earlier interview, personnel from the same department said it most likely came from nearby provinces like Cavite and Laguna, and has been floating for long until Habagat forced them to Manila Bay's shores.

"Parang catch basin kasi ito. Nasasala ng pader ng embassy yung basura," she said.

Cristobal said garbage produced by Manila folks - vendors, joggers, and visitors of Baywalk was being properly disposed.

Manila DPS spent a week picking up trash and loading them to trucks but they weren't able to clear the area.

It remains unclear how long it will take them to clean the area.

"Matagal na naming problema ito, ilang taon na ang dumaan," Cristobal said.