Garbage piles up at DENR-Davao Region office after Baste Duterte names it collection point 

Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte ordered on June 4 to add the Department of Natural Resources Region XI (Davao Region) office as a garbage collection point amid the temporary closure of the New Carmen Sanitary Landfill.

“To manage waste collection moving forward, we have identified additional collection points, including one in front of DENR XI office, so they can personally appreciate the volume of garbage that accumulates when an essentially public service is halted indefinitely,” Duterte said in a statement on June 4.

In a report on “24 Oras” on Friday, residents near the DENR XI office complained about garbage buildup.

“May disturbance talaga kasi nangangamoy na ‘yan. Dapat hakutin na ‘yan ng gobyerno,” a resident said.

(It’s really causing a disturbance because it’s starting to smell now. The government needs to collect it.)

“Sana maligpit na kasi ang pangit talaga tignan,” another resident added.

(Hopefully, it gets cleared up because it is an eyesore.)

The DENR XI temporarily suspended the operation of the New Carmen Sanitary Landfill after it collapsed on May 20, resulting in two casualties.

Operations were suspended to give way to slope stabilization efforts and ensure compliance with other regulatory requirements.

The Davao City Mayor argued that corrective measures can be undertaken while allowing landfill operations to continue, and that the prolonged disruption increases public health and sanitation risks.

Duterte noted that the DENR XI also failed to provide a definite timeline for the landfill’s reopening.

In a statement on Friday, DENR-EMB XI Regional Director Alnulfo Alvarez said “the agency recognizes the urgency of restoring landfill operations, but emphasized that safety remains the foremost consideration.”

“Our teams are on the ground every day with the LGU. We recognize the operational pressure the city is facing, but we cannot compromise public safety and environmental protection,” he added.

Alvarez presented operational alternatives to the Davao City local government, including the temporary disposal coordination with neighboring LGUs such as Sta. Cruz and Panabo, and the establishment of a temporary disposal area within the current sanitary landfill.

Duterte said Davao City had already initiated the construction of a new sanitary landfill in 2024, which has secured an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC).

He added that only the finalization of the loading bay remains pending, with completion expected by June 16.

In the report on “24 Oras,” the pile of garbage in front of the DENR XI office had already been collected early morning of June 5.

The collected garbage will remain in the garbage collection trucks until a disposal area becomes available. —Lyjah Tiffany Bonzo/LDF, GMA News