Philippines: Rivers Carrying Plastic to the Ocean

19 of the 50 named highest-emission river outfalls in the Meijer et al. (2021) global model are in the Philippines. Together these named rivers carry a modeled 150,693 metric tons of plastic to the ocean per year, 15.0% of the modeled global total across 31,819 outfall points.

Last reviewed: July 20, 2026 Reviewed by: Plastic Bank Research Team
19

named rivers from the Philippines among the dataset's top 50 outfalls

Meijer et al. 2021

150,693 mt/yr

combined modeled emission of those named rivers (metric tons per year)

Meijer et al. 2021

15.0%

share of the modeled global total across all 31,819 outfall points

Meijer et al. 2021

#1

highest-ranked: the Pasig River

Meijer et al. 2021

Data Coverage Note

Country attribution in this dataset exists only for the 50 named outfalls from the study's human-reviewed table (Table S5). The figures on this page cover those named rivers only. They are not a national total: the study models thousands of additional outfall points whose country attribution has not been verified on this site.

Named rivers in the Philippines, ranked by modeled emission

Each profile below explains local context, the modeled emission rank, drivers, and caveats for interpreting the data. Values are modeled annual plastic mass reaching the ocean, from Meijer et al. (2021).

Pasig River

Rank #1 of 31,819 modeled outfall points. Modeled emission 62,592 metric tons per year, Pacific Ocean basin.

Tullahan River

Rank #2 of 31,819 modeled outfall points. Modeled emission 13,450 metric tons per year, Pacific Ocean basin.

Meycauayan River

Rank #5 of 31,819 modeled outfall points. Modeled emission 12,398 metric tons per year, Pacific Ocean basin.

Pampanga River

Rank #6 of 31,819 modeled outfall points. Modeled emission 9,340 metric tons per year, Pacific Ocean basin.

Libmanan River

Rank #7 of 31,819 modeled outfall points. Modeled emission 7,088 metric tons per year, Pacific Ocean basin.

Rio Grande de Mindanao

Rank #9 of 31,819 modeled outfall points. Modeled emission 5,256 metric tons per year, Pacific Ocean basin.

Agno River

Rank #10 of 31,819 modeled outfall points. Modeled emission 4,637 metric tons per year, Pacific Ocean basin.

Agusan River

Rank #11 of 31,819 modeled outfall points. Modeled emission 4,568 metric tons per year, Pacific Ocean basin.

Paranaque River

Rank #12 of 31,819 modeled outfall points. Modeled emission 4,363 metric tons per year, Pacific Ocean basin.

Iloilo River

Rank #13 of 31,819 modeled outfall points. Modeled emission 4,224 metric tons per year, Pacific Ocean basin.

Imus River

Rank #24 of 31,819 modeled outfall points. Modeled emission 3,137 metric tons per year, Pacific Ocean basin.

Zapote River

Rank #29 of 31,819 modeled outfall points. Modeled emission 2,748 metric tons per year, Pacific Ocean basin.

Cagayan de Oro River

Rank #32 of 31,819 modeled outfall points. Modeled emission 2,574 metric tons per year, Pacific Ocean basin.

Davao River

Rank #33 of 31,819 modeled outfall points. Modeled emission 2,564 metric tons per year, Pacific Ocean basin.

Malaking Tubig River

Rank #38 of 31,819 modeled outfall points. Modeled emission 2,488 metric tons per year, Pacific Ocean basin.

Tambo River (Pasay)

Rank #40 of 31,819 modeled outfall points. Modeled emission 2,475 metric tons per year, Pacific Ocean basin.

Jalaur River

Rank #42 of 31,819 modeled outfall points. Modeled emission 2,348 metric tons per year, Pacific Ocean basin.

Cagayan River

Rank #46 of 31,819 modeled outfall points. Modeled emission 2,273 metric tons per year, Pacific Ocean basin.

Hamulauon River

Rank #50 of 31,819 modeled outfall points. Modeled emission 2,170 metric tons per year, Pacific Ocean basin.

Philippines River Plastic FAQ

Which river in the Philippines carries the most plastic to the ocean?

In the Meijer et al. (2021) model, the Pasig River is the highest-ranked named outfall in the Philippines, at rank #1 of 31,819 modeled points with 62,592 metric tons per year. The value is a modeled estimate, not a direct measurement.

How many rivers in the Philippines are among the world's highest-emitting?

The Philippines has 19 rivers among the 50 named highest-emission outfalls in the dataset. The study models many more outfall points whose country attribution has not been verified on this site, so this is a floor, not a national total.

What share of global river plastic emissions comes from the Philippines?

The named rivers from the Philippines in this dataset together represent 15.0% of the modeled global total across all 31,819 outfall points. Because only the top 50 outfalls carry verified country attribution, the country's full share is higher than this named-rivers figure.

Sources

  1. Meijer, L.J.J. et al. (2021). "More than 1000 rivers account for 80% of global riverine plastic emissions into the ocean." Science Advances, 7(18). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aaz5803
  2. UNEP (2021). "From Pollution to Solution: A Global Assessment of Marine Litter and Plastic Pollution." View report

How to Cite This Page

Plastic Bank. "Philippines: Named High-Emission Rivers (Meijer et al. 2021)." Rivers Carrying Plastic to the Ocean. https://rivers.plasticbank.com/rivers/country/philippines. Reviewed July 20, 2026.