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IDIS flags worsening davao city garbage crisis after sanitary landfill closure

by Nova Mae Francas
written by Nova Mae Francas

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.

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Environment

Tagum City, IDIS launch Duyog Awards to recognize grassroots environmental conservation practices

by Nova Mae Francas
written by Nova Mae Francas

THE CITY government of Tagum and the environmental group Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability (IDIS) officially launched “Duyog Awards” on Monday, March 30.

Duyog Awards is an initiative aimed at recognizing community-driven efforts and contributions to environmental protection and sustainable development, a replication of Lunhaw Awards of the City Government of Davao and the Banwa Awards of Island Garden City of Samal.

Lemuel Manalo, IDIS program coordinator, said environmental conservation initiatives should not necessarily come from policies and compliance but rather from volunteerism and departing from conventional practices.

“It’s very important for us in IDIS, we need to profile and promote environmental practices as much as possible because in this way, we can create a movement and revolution of sustainable practices,” Manalo said during the launch. 

Manalo added that with the recognition of the practices, it opens up an opportunity to replicate the same for other individuals and groups.

“We are looking at partnerships anchored on the Sustainable Development Goals, more on collaboration for the citizens. Communities make great impacts, and we want to look at sustainable development on a wider scale,” he added.

Nine awardees are expected to be recognized in three categories, including coastal and marine resource management, forest-based initiatives, and education and advocacy, tentatively during the city’s Environment Week celebration on April 24.

Don Kryle Sy, Tagum City Information head, said the award is designed to honor initiatives and to strengthen collaboration between organizations and the local government.

“Duyog means panag-uban, pakigtambayayong. This is not only about a one-time partnership, but we are talking about a genuine and continuing partnership with the LGU when it comes to advocacies,” Sy said.

He added that there are different organizations in Tagum City that are not necessarily focused on the environment but have programs for it, noting that these groups can also be tapped as partners by future awardees.

“Especially in this time, where we are experiencing a crisis, we need to encourage the public that there are initiatives for the environment and what other groups can do to help, big or small organizations,” he said.

Beyond recognition, the city government envisions the Duyog Awards as a long-term program institutionalized and backed up with local ordinances to make it an annual program.

Judy Ann Legaspi, IDIS coordinator, said the selection process focused on long-standing initiatives that have already demonstrated impact in the city.

“Sustainability is a key criterion in selection, with nominees required to have at least two years of existing operations prior to recognition,” Legaspi said.

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Entertainment

IDIS documents discarded Plastic PET bottles, wrappers in Tamugan River 

by Nova Mae Francas
written by Nova Mae Francas

ENVIRONMENTAL group Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability (IDIS) revealed on Monday, Feb. 2, that they found discarded plastic PET bottles and plastic wrappers in the Tamugan River.

IDIS, together with Bantay Bukid volunteers, conducted a Waste and Brand Audit cleanup, particularly in Sitio Bakong, Tamugan River, to culminate Zero Waste Month last January. 

During the audit, the groups collected seven sacks containing 797 pieces of mixed waste, consisting mainly of Polyethylene terephthalate PET bottles, junk food wrappers, and glass liquor bottles.

PET is a common, lightweight, and durable thermoplastic polymer resin from the polyester family, widely used for food/beverage packaging (bottles).

The group also reported 11 discarded diapers, which are considered highly biotoxic and infectious waste that can affect water quality.

Topping the list, a total of 75 Coca-Cola PET bottles was found, followed by Silver Swan (NutriAsia) with 62 bottles, Nature Spring with 60 bottles, and Tanduay Rhum with 34 bottles.

IDIS noted that Coca-Cola and Nature Spring also ranked highest in waste counts during the Coastal Road cleanup. The group emphasized the widespread presence of plastic waste in both coastal and freshwater environments.

In the Waste and Brand Clean-Up Audit conducted at an open baywalk beside “The Mangroves” along the Coastal Road in Matina Aplaya, volunteers collected 12 full sacks of waste, composed largely of PET bottles, plastic sachets, and glass bottles.

The brand audit revealed that the most frequently collected plastic wastes were from Nature Spring (196 PET bottles), Coca-Cola (78 PET bottles), and Oishi (73 sachets), followed by Jack ‘n Jill (158 sachets) and C2 – Universal Robina (33 bottles).

Eugene Errol Sugano, president of the Bantay Dagat, said the waste problem is alarming as waste was already heavily concentrated even within the first 100 meters of the cleanup area.

Much of the litter was attributed to irresponsible disposal by people who frequent the area for recreational activities like walking, jogging, and picnicking.

“Many studies have shown that plastics break down into microplastics, which can absorb toxic chemicals, enter the food chain, and contaminate drinking water sources,” IDIS stressed.

The group called for stricter and more consistent enforcement of Davao City’s local ordinance banning single-use plastics, along with stricter regulation of recreational activities in watershed areas, especially in the Tamugan-Panigan Watershed.

City Ordinance No. 0500-21, or known as “No to Single-Use Plastics Ordinance,” was approved in May 2021 under then-Mayor and now Vice President Sara Duterte.

The ordinance provides regulation of single-use plastics in business establishments and also their individual use.

Establishments that wish to retail single-use plastic products will have to pay P10,000 for a “special permit to sell” while those who wish to distribute or use these in large amounts (e. g., during events or special occasions) will have to pay P5 for each single-use plastic to obtain a “special permit to distribute”. 

The administrative penalty for first-time violators of the ordinance is set at P1,000, or may render an 8-hour environmental service; the second offense is a P3,000 fine or a 16-hour environmental service; and the maximum penalty is P5,000.

Photo: IDIS

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News

IDIS blasts planned amendments to Solid Waste Management Act

by Nova Mae Francas
written by Nova Mae Francas

ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability (IDIS) opposed proposals to amend the Republic Act 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, which would have paved the way for local government units to adopt waste-to-energy incineration projects. 

In a statement on Wednesday, IDIS said the move, which was floated by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), is a “dangerous step backward” and undermines environmental protection, public health, and climate responsibility.

The group stressed RA 9003 has never been fully or faithfully implemented, and amending it now without ensuring its full implementation is both “premature and misleading.”

The mandate of RA 9003 was to shift the country away from disposal-oriented, end-of-pipe solutions and toward sustainable practices, such as waste reduction, segregation at source, reuse, recycling, and composting.

But, even in the ground, barangay-level segregation, the establishment of Materials Recovery Facilities (MRF), waste reduction at source, composting, and recycling, remain largely neglected in many areas. 

“The persistent failures in solid waste management that the DENR itself acknowledges are not failures of the law. They are failures of implementation, political will, and accountability, particularly at the level of local government units,” the group stressed.

Allowing incineration, it added, is a false solution to a governance failure.

IDIS cited that a large portion of waste in the country is biodegradable, which cannot be meaningfully used in incineration but instead should be managed through composting and diversion strategies.

“Instead of addressing the root causes of the waste crisis, such as weak enforcement, lack of political will, underfunded local systems, and poor accountability, incineration merely treats waste symptoms while locking communities into expensive, centralized, and environmentally risky infrastructure,” it stressed.

The group stated that even modern incineration technologies generate toxic emissions, hazardous ash, and long‑term health threats, which violates and counters the Clean Air Act’s explicit prohibition of polluting incineration.

It maintained that there are gaps, highlighting the urgent need to fully implement RA 9003, rather than amending it.

The group cited that DENR and the National Solid Waste Management Commission (NSWMC) have not yet published a comprehensive list of Non‑Environmentally Acceptable Products (NEAPs) as required under the act.

The NEAPs are a regulatory tool meant to phase out environmentally harmful products and packaging. which is critical to making the law fully operational. 

The group added that DENR data itself shows that thousands of barangay-level MRFs are non-existent, and waste segregation and diversion remain weak. 

“Amending the law without exhausting its existing, proven solutions undermines the very purpose of the law. The problem is not that the law is outdated. The problem is that it was never properly carried out,” it stressed.

IDIS said investing public funds in incineration would divert resources away from proven, low-cost, community-based solutions, such as waste reduction programs, composting systems, and support for the recycling sector.

The group pointed out that incineration threatens the livelihood of informal waste workers by reducing recyclable materials and centralizing waste management in capital-intensive facilities controlled by private operators.

“A truly just transition in waste management must strengthen, not displace waste workers through formalization, better working conditions, and inclusive zero-waste systems,” it stressed.

IDIS cited the tragic landfill collapse in Cebu City as a wake-up call for stricter enforcement, better planning, and strong oversight, and not as a justification for opening the door to incineration. 

The group calledon the DENR, lawmakers, and local governments to defend the incineration ban under RA 9003 and Clean Air Act, prioritize the full and faithful implementation of ecological solid waste management, publish and enforce the NEAP list mandated under RA 9003, invest in zero-waste, climate-safe, and community-based solutions, and protect the health, livelihoods, and rights of communities and waste workers. 

“Incineration is not progress. Ecological and people-centered waste management is,” the group said.

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Opinion

FROM THE MAIL | IDIS bats for urgent action on worsening flooding and ineffective flood control projects

by Contributor
written by Contributor

AS AN organization championing sustainable transformation, the Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability (IDIS) expresses deep concern over the worsening flooding experienced in Davao City and across the Philippines. The recent floods that submerged key urban areas once again exposed the vulnerability of our cities and the inadequacy of flood control measures meant to protect lives, livelihoods, and infrastructure.

Our research in Davao City reveals a clear pattern with national relevance: many of the city’s flood-prone areas were once wetlands, tidal marshes, swamps, and natural catch basins. Decades of unchecked urban development have reclaimed, converted, and altered these ecosystems, resulting in a staggering 95% loss of wetlands since 1945 in Davao City. With rising sea levels and more intense rainfall due to climate change, waterways can no longer properly drain during high tides, causing floodwaters to spill into streets, homes, and establishments.

This situation in the city reflects a larger problem nationwide. Despite billions of pesos in annual allocations for flood control projects through Local, Regional, and Congressional funds, flooding continues to worsen in many cities and provinces. This raises urgent questions about the effectiveness, transparency, and accountability of flood control projects across the country.

We call on the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), local governments, and legislators to:

Provide full public disclosure on the status and effectiveness of flood control projects funded across the country;
Go beyond short-term, “grey” infrastructure solutions that often displace flooding rather than solve it;
Prioritize Nature-based Solutions (NbS) such as watershed protection, construction of retention and detention ponds, mangrove rehabilitation, and the restoration of wetlands and estuarine marshes. These solutions offer long-term, climate-resilient protection against flooding.

The worsening floods in Davao City are not an isolated event—they are a warning signal of what is happening and will continue to happen nationwide if business-as-usual approaches persist. Flooding is not just a local inconvenience; it is a national climate emergency that demands decisive, coordinated, and science-based action from all levels of government.

Only by combining transparent governance with sustainable, nature-based strategies can we safeguard communities across the Philippines from the escalating threats of climate change.

MEDIA CONTACTS

ATTY. MARK T. PEÑALVER
Executive Director
+63939 630 7124

ENP. LEMUEL MANALO
Program Coordinator
+63943 616 9092

ZOE MADRIDONDO
Policy Advocacy Officer
+63966 860 4147

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Business

IDIS on Pujada open-pit mining: A danger to terrestrial, marine biodiversity

by Contributor
written by Contributor

PUJADA Nickel Open-Pit Mining Project poses extensive environmental and social threats regardless of assertions that the site falls outside the technical boundaries of Mt. Hamiguitan and Pujada Bay, an environmental group reiterated on Wednesday.

Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability (IDIS), Inc., maintained they are against the Pujada Nickel Open-Pit Mining Project as the continued operations threaten fragile ecosystems.

“The proximity of this mining activity, merely 7-8 kilometers from Pujada Island and Mt. Hamiguitan’s peak underscores the ecological danger it poses to both terrestrial and marine biodiversity,” IDIS in a press statement on Wednesday.

IDIS maintained that the project has a destructive impact on watersheds, coastal ecosystems, and vulnerable flagship species like the Philippine Eagle and Dugong (Dugong dugon) inhabiting the Mt. Hamiguitan Wildlife Range and Pujada Bay.

Apart from that, the culture and the indigenous rights of the Mandaya tribe is at stake, which cannot be compensated by tax revenues or promises of development.

“Despite being promoted as a driver of economic growth, this mining project prioritizes short-term profit for foreign extractors over long-term sustainability and the well-being of local communities,” it said.

The group called on the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) XI and its line agencies—Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) XI and Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) XI, the Protected Areas Management and Biodiversity Conservation Section (PAMBCS) XI, the City Government of Mati, the Municipality of Governor Generoso, to act decisively in the matter at hand.The group proposed to cease and revoke the Mining Production Sharing Agreement (MPSA) granted to Hallmark Mining Corporation and Austral-Asia Link Mining Corporation; declare the surrounding areas of Mt. Hamiguitan and Pujada Bay as buffers, greenbelt, and transitional zones, particularly Environmental Critical Areas or Critical Habitats, as stated in the Philippine Wildlife Act.

They also wanted the Protected Area Management Boards (PAMB) of Mt. Hamiguitan and Pujada Bay to adopt unified, science-based protective actions and to review and expand the delineation of their protected areas, including designating buffer zones and critical habitats.

Considering the indigenous communities living in the immediate vicinity, IDIS said, the tribes should be involved in consultation, planning, and conservation efforts.The group also called on the people of Davao Oriental to defend the environment, and participate in public discourse actively, hold the local government leaders accountable, and demand the immediate closure of the mining operations.

“This is not a fight we can win alone. Protecting our remaining ecological frontiers requires the collective will of communities, leaders, and institutions,” it said.

Citing 1995 Mining Act, IDIS stressed that mining is “explicitly prohibited in areas such as watersheds with old-growth forests, sites near critical infrastructure like dams and reservoirs, proclaimed forest reserves, national parks, and areas classified as environmentally critical or sensitive.”

The statement came after Davao del Norte Board Member Al David Uy, whose sentiments were posted on Facebook last week exposing tremendous impacts of the said mining operations.

“These are the pictures near Mt. Hamiguitan which was recently declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A habitat of the Endangered Philippine Eagle, ECOTENEO Beke Nemen….. WRIT OF KALIKASAN MY ASSSS!!!!,” Uy penned.

The group expressed they are willing to work with Uy in promoting sustainable environmental management and responsible urban development.

“We believe that meaningful collaboration and inclusive dialogue are essential to achieving long-term solutions that protect vital ecosystems across the entire Metropolitan Davao region,” the group said.

The Pujada Nickel Project is one of the 23 priority mining projects that are part of the Philippine government’s 2004 Minerals Action Plan, and has been declared one of the five mining projects aimed to contribute to the mining sector in boosting Davao Oriental economy with a potential capital investment of P540 billion.

It is located at the Northeastern section of the Pujada Peninsula and straddles the Barangays of Macambol and Cabuaya in the City of Mati, Davao Oriental.

Hallmark Mining Corporation, which currently holds control of Pujada, acknowledged they are within the ancestral domain of the Mandaya Indigenous People but maintained the company secured their Free and Prior Informed Consent as stipulated in the RA 8371 or the Indigenous Peoples Right Act.

Hallmark added they have relinquished 7,200 hectares to adequately expand the Hamiguitan World Heritage Site.

In a story published by Manila Bulletin in 2023, Hallmark Mining Corp. community relations officer Dr. Arvin Carlom said the Pujada extracts minerals in patches with each patch averaging a clearing of about 14 hectares.Carlom added the Australia-Asia Link Mining Corp. (AALMC) is currently allowed to disturb a maximum of 60 hectares as set by the government, hence they cannot touch outside 60 hectares unless the initial 60 is rehabilitated.

In 2022, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau released a statement that the Pujada Nickel Project is employing a strip or contour mining method.

Photo courtesy of Hallmark Mining Corp

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