04/06/2026
STATEMENT
June 04, 2026
Garbage collection operations are currently experiencing delays due to the closure of the New Carmen Sanitary Landfill as ordered by DENR, under the leadership of Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna.
The longer this situation continues, the greater the risk of a public health and sanitation problem, not because of the waste itself, but because of the bureaucratic inaptitude of DENR.
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 judgement.
Instead, DENR chose to suspend the entire operation without providing a clear timeline for reopening.
To manage waste collection moving forward, we have identified additional collection points, including one in front of the DENR XI office, so they can personally appreciate the volume of garbage that accumulates when an essential public service is halted indefinitely.
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.
Mayor Sebastian Z. Duterte
Davao City

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