MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – Last year, the  United States and the Philippines signed a 10-year defense agreement, considered by many as one of the clearest signs yet of renewed American engagement in the region at a time when tensions between China and its neighbors have been rising.

The agreement will entail moving American ships and planes to the Philippines more frequently as well as engaging in more training exercises with the country’s forces.

But a little-known provision in this pact is a firm commitment from the Americans to help the Philippines with the much-needed clean-up of the country’s environmental and political filth.

Today, U.S. Ambassador Philip Goldberg led hundreds of Filipino volunteers to undertake a massive clean-up of Manila’s Pasig River, known for many decades now for its polluted water and garbage-filled river banks. This dire situation has all but exacerbated the problem of perennial flooding in the metropolis.

Members of the international diplomatic corps also participated in today’s civic engagement project.

In talking to reporters after the day-long clean-up project, Goldberg said this was jut the beginning of many more projects schduled this year.

“Next, we will undertake a massive clean up of Philippine Congress, then Malacanang (the presidential palace), and finally the judiciary,” he said.

He was, of course, talking about political — not environmental — filth, including, but not limited to, the pork barrel scam, government curruption, the Aquino administration’s inefficiency, and justice for sale.