Baste Duterte orders Davao City trash dumped outside DENR office

DAVAO CITY — Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte on Friday blamed the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for the city’s worsening garbage crisis, which was triggered by the temporary closure of its landfill on May 22 following a massive trash slide two days earlier.

In a statement, Duterte said he had ordered the establishment of a garbage collection point in front of the DENR regional office to underscore the severity of the situation and allow agency personnel to see firsthand the impact of the landfill shutdown.

READ: Davao City garbage woes worsen amid landfill closure

“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,” Duterte stated.

He added: “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.”

READ: Group seeks action on Davao’s mounting garbage crisis

According to Duterte, 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,” he said.

The mayor added, “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.”

In a statement, the DENR-Davao Region said it has been working closely with the city government to address issues in Davao City’s solid waste management system, particularly concerns regarding the safety and stability of the landfill facility. /coa