Speech by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. at the For a Cleaner Manila Bay: Inauguration of the Marine Clean-Up Vessel (MCUV) for the Enhancement of Marine Litter Management (EMLM) in Manila Bay Project

A good day to all.

We are gathered today to acknowledge the truth that no nation or person can live without clean water.

Clean water nourishes our crops and sustains our lives. It feeds our communities, supports our livelihoods, and protects the ecosystems on which future generations depend.

Here in the Philippines, Manila Bay is an iconic body of water. It has supported trade and has stood witness to generations of Filipinos who built their lives along its shores.

Yet it is a reality that Manila Bay remains one of the country’s most environmentally stressed water bodies.

Floating plastics and marine debris have accumulated in its waters, threatening marine life, affecting the health of nearby communities, and disrupting economic activities that depend on a clean and safe environment.

For a long time, our government agencies have lacked a dedicated vessel capable of continuous marine litter collection, waste retrieval, and emergency oil spill response in Manila Bay.

In response to this challenge, the Philippines and the Republic of Korea launched the Enhancement of Marine Litter Management Project, or EMLM.

Through grant assistance from the Korea International Cooperation Agency or KOICA, this initiative strengthens our capacity to manage marine litter, improve environmental monitoring, build local capabilities, and raise public awareness on marine protection.

Today, we mark one of its important milestones: the inauguration of the Marine Clean-Up Vessel, the MV Nilad and its support truck.

The MV Nilad is a concrete reflection of the friendship and cooperation between the Philippines and the Republic of Korea. It reminds us that when nations work together, challenges can be met with lasting solutions.

Named after the nilad, the native mangrove that once grew abundantly along these shores before the city rose around it. It will fortify our commitment to maintaining the cleanliness of Manila Bay.

The MV Nilad is a working vessel built for real and urgent tasks.

It can collect, sort, and store up to ten tons of marine litter in a single operation.

It can operate for as much as 300 to 400 hours annually.

It is equipped not only for waste retrieval but also for oil spill response and environmental monitoring.

MV Nilad will also aid our research. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources personnel can conduct environmental monitoring and litter assessment, turning every clean-up operation into an opportunity to learn more about our bay.

So, to the men and women of the DENR and the Philippine Coast Guard who will operate this vessel, the task at hand is sacred.

I trust that you will take care of MV Nilad so that it may continue to take care of Manila Bay.

And to our trusted partners from the Republic of Korea and KOICA, who made this possible, the Filipino people receive this gift with the same generosity with which it was given.

Thank you very much.

Gamsahamnida.

I look forward to seeing clearer waters in Manila Bay for ourselves and our children, and a stronger friendship between our two nations in the years ahead.

Maraming salamat po.

Mabuhay ang Bagong Pilipinas.

Mabuhay ang Pilipinas at ang Republika ng Korea.

[applause]

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