- DENR XI to file cases over dumping waste outside its office
THE DEPARTMENT of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) XI has issued a stern warning against illegal waste dumping in front of its regional office in Lanang, Davao City.
In a statement on Friday, June 6, the agency warned of filing cases against individuals involved in the illegal disposal of garbage along the road.
“Following the unauthorized disposal of wastes in front of the DENR XI Office, please be informed that this Office is preparing legal action against those who committed such violations,” the statement said.
The agency said the vehicles and individuals involved have already been identified through their CCTV.
It cited as legal basis Republic Act 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, particularly Section 48, which prohibits littering, throwing, and dumping of waste materials in public places.
Under RA 9003, violators of Section 48(1), which covers littering and dumping in public places, face fines ranging from ₱300 to ₱1,000, community service of one to 15 days, or both.
The DENR issued the advisory amid escalating tensions between the Davao City government and the agency over the suspension of operations at the New Carmen Sanitary Landfill.
Some residents dumped garbage outside the DENR-Davao office on June 5 to underscore, at the behest of Mayor Sebastian Duterte, in protest of the suspension order.
On June 4, Duterte said the suspension affected the collection of Davao City’s daily waste volume. So, the local government identified additional waste collection points, including one he ordered in front of the DENR Davao office.
DENR-EMB XI regional director Alnulfo M. Alvarez said the agency would only lift the suspension order on the Davao City Sanitary Landfill once all required safety measures are completed, recognizing the urgency of restoring landfill operations but stressing that public safety cannot be compromised.
The suspension has significantly disrupted garbage collection and disposal across a city of at least 1.8 million residents, which generates around 750 metric tons of waste daily.
To address the city’s waste disposal needs during the suspension, DENR proposed several alternatives, including temporary disposal coordination with neighboring local government units such as Sta. Cruz and Panabo City; co-processing arrangements with Holcim-Geocycle for residual waste, fast-tracking of the new sanitary landfill, and temporary disposal within the current landfill pending stabilization measures.
