DENR lays down long-term solutions to garbage disposal woes

Local

AS CEBU continues to grapple with a mounting garbage crisis, Malacañang on Tuesday, March 17, pointed to long-term, structural fixes.

These fixes, ranging from waste reduction to large-scale recycling systems, are seen as key to solving the problem.

In a press briefing, Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has laid out a roadmap aimed at reshaping how waste is managed, not just in Cebu, but across the country.

“I was able to discuss this with DENR and I asked for the possible long-term solutions,” Castro said, before reading the agency’s recommendations.

At the core of the plan is a shift in mindset: reducing waste at its source and enforcing strict segregation at the barangay level. The agency said these measures are often overlooked but critical to easing pressure on landfills.

The DENR is also pushing for the development of large-scale recycling systems and a transition toward a circular economy, where materials are reused instead of discarded.

“Kasi sa atin hindi po parang promoted iyong pag-recycle… dapat magsimula sa atin,” Castro said.

She stressed the need to raise public awareness and participation in recycling practices.

Beyond behavioral changes, the agency is proposing infrastructure upgrades, including integrated waste management facilities and the use of digital systems to monitor waste data more efficiently.

The discussion comes against the backdrop of a crisis that has strained Cebu City’s waste disposal system since the January 8 collapse of the Binaliw Sanitary Landfill, a tragedy that left dozens dead and forced the site’s closure.

With its primary landfill out of service, the city has been transporting waste to distant facilities, some more than 60 kilometers away, driving up costs that could reach P1 billion.

Earlier, DENR Secretary Raphael Lotilla ordered regional offices to fast-track both immediate and long-term solutions, including identifying alternative disposal sites while conducting a full technical assessment of the Binaliw facility.

The review covers critical factors such as slope stability, drainage systems, and compliance with environmental safeguard, issues that came into sharp focus after the collapse.

National officials said the focus remains twofold: keeping waste collection uninterrupted while laying the groundwork for a more resilient system.

Castro said the Palace will continue to roll out regional briefings as part of efforts to bring national policies closer to local media and communities, especially on urgent issues like waste management.(TGP)