Manila residents are encouraged to report uncollected garbage to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) if local authorities fail to address the issue, according to Environment Undersecretary Jonas Leones.
“If the garbage is not collected for more than a week and there is no action despite your request to the local government unit (LGU), you can coordinate with the DENR. Send us pictures, evidence, and we will remind the LGU. If there is no response, we will refer it to the National Solid Waste Commission,” Leones stated Wednesday, January 8.
Under the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, LGUs that neglect their waste management duties can face criminal and administrative sanctions.
Garbage collection problems persist
The city of Manila has been grappling with accumulating garbage since the New Year celebrations.
Mayor Honey Lacuna announced that two newly contracted firms, Philippine Ecology Systems Corp. and MetroWaste Solid Waste Management Corp., have until Friday to clear the backlog.
The contracts awarded to the two companies amount to ₱842.7 million.
Meanwhile, MetroWaste faced criticism from the Malabon government over a terminated contract.
The city ended its agreement with MetroWaste last year, citing the firm's failure to manage waste collection effectively and adhere to its obligations.
Allegations of unpaid dues to MetroWaste remain under clarification.
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