Garbage collection operations in Davao City are experiencing delays following the closure of the New Carmen Sanitary Landfill ordered by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Mayor Sebastian ‘Baste’ Duterte said in a statement on Thursday.
Duterte said the suspension of landfill operations has disrupted waste management in the city, warning that prolonged delays could lead to a sanitation and public health concern.
“The longer this situation continues, the greater the risk of a public health and sanitation problem, not because of the waste itself, but because of the bureaucratic inaptitude of DENR,” the mayor said.
The DENR ordered the closure of the New Carmen Sanitary Landfill under the leadership of Environment Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna. Duterte said residents living near the facility had already been evacuated and that safety concerns in the area had been addressed.
“The threat to human life has been addressed. What remains are corrective measures that can be undertaken while allowing landfill operations to continue based on sound and practical judgement,” he said.
Duterte criticized the agency’s decision to suspend operations entirely, saying no clear timeline had been provided for reopening.
Instead, he said the city government has identified alternative collection points to manage waste, including an area in front of the DENR regional office in Davao, where accumulated garbage will be brought.
“To manage waste collection moving forward, we have identified additional collection points, including one in front of the DENR XI office, so they can personally appreciate the volume of garbage that accumulates when an essential public service is halted indefinitely,” Duterte said.
He added that the city remains compliant with regulatory requirements but urged national authorities to consider operational realities in decisions affecting waste management.
“We are complying with all requirements. We only hope that decisions affecting around 750 tons of waste daily and nearly two million Dabawenyos are guided not only by regulations, but also by practical realities and common sense,” he said.
