Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte has blamed the closure of the sanitary landfill in Barangay New Carmen for the delays in garbage collection.

In a statement, Duterte said if disruption in waste collection services continues, the greater the risk of public health and sanitation issues.

“Not because of the waste itself, but because of the bureaucratic inaptitude of DENR,” Duterte said.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Davao (DENR-11) has suspended the disposal of waste at the sanitary landfill in Barangay New Carmen following a trash slide on May 20, 2026 that left two people dead and another missing, as of this writing.

According to DENR-11 Director, Atty. Maria Mercedes Dumagan, the suspension will allow the local government to implement slope stabilization measures and other recommended actions.

However, Duterte said corrective measures can be undertaken while allowing landfill operations to continue.

“The people living around the landfill have already been evacuated. The threat to human life has been addressed. What remains are corrective measures that can be undertaken while allowing landfill operations to continue based on sound and practical judgment,” Duterte said.

The city’s chief local executive slammed DENR for allegedly halting landfill operations without providing a clear timeline for its reopening.

To help manage the city’s garbage collection, the local government has identified additional collection points, including one in front of the DENR-11 office.

“So they can personally appreciate the volume of garbage that accumulates when an essential public service is halted indefinitely,” Duterte said.

“We are complying with all requirements. We only hope that decisions affecting around 750 tons of waste daily and nearly two million Dabawenyos are guided not only by regulations, but also by practical realities and common sense,” he added.