AN ENVIRONMENTAL group raised alarm over Davao City’s worsening garbage situation due to the uncollected waste accumulating on highways and in communities.
The Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability (IDIS) stated on Wednesday, June 3, that the crisis demands immediate attention and responsibility.
It stressed that the uncollected garbage poses compounding risks as the southwest monsoon season sets in.
“Uncollected garbage is easily washed into drainage systems and waterways during heavy rains, worsening flooding in vulnerable communities and creating avoidable public health hazards,” IDIS said.
The group called on the city government to immediately address collection backlogs and overhaul its solid waste management approach.
IDIS raised the alarm as the city is celebrating Duaw Davao this June and is expecting an influx of visitors, along with the commemoration of the Environmental Month, but the city is burdened by uncollected waste.
The persistent cycle of waste accumulation, flooding, public health risks, repeated recommendations and limited structural change needs stronger, sustained action.
IDIS called for waste segregation at source, household and barangay participation, localized monitoring, and sustained education.
The appeal comes weeks after a deadly collapse at the New Carmen Sanitary Landfill in Tugbok District. On May 20, a portion of the landfill gave way after water buildup triggered by continuous heavy rainfall, sending tons of garbage sliding toward houses in the lower area, killing two waste pickers, and one remains missing.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) XI ordered the immediate suspension of waste disposal at the facility following the incident.
The suspension has significantly disrupted garbage collection and disposal across a city of at least 1.8 million residents, generating around 750 metric tons of waste daily.
The New Carmen facility has been operating at full capacity since it opened in December 2010, with daily disposal reaching 753 tons as of 2025.
The city council approved P34 million under Supplemental Budget 1 of 2026 to construct a landslide mitigation structure at the existing facility, and the city government has said it is complying with DENR requirements to reopen the landfill.
IDIS stressed that waste segregation at source must be matched by efficient collection and an accountable system.
“The people of Davao deserve a waste management system that is preventive, not reactive; community-driven, not top-down alone; and capable of preventing disasters rather than repeatedly responding to them after the fact,” the group said.
