DENR-Davao outlines safety requirements for reopening the landfill following a deadly trash-slide.
THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Davao Region said it will lift the suspension order on Davao City's sanitary landfill once all required safety and engineering interventions have been completed.
The statement comes more than two weeks after a trash-slide incident struck the sanitary landfill in Barangay New Carmen on May 20, killing two people, injuring two others, and prompting authorities to halt landfill operations while assessments and rehabilitation work continue. DENR-Davao regional executive director lawyer Ma. Mercedes V. Dumagan said the agency issued the suspension order on May 21 to facilitate search and retrieval operations, conduct geotechnical assessments, and protect nearby communities from further risks.
Since then, DENR technical teams have conducted daily inspections and coordination meetings with the City Environment and Natural Resources Office , City Engineer's Office , and City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office to guide rehabilitation efforts.
“The cooperation between DENR regional offices, Environmental Management Bureau-Davao Region, and the City Government of Davao has been consistent and constructive. Everyone is aligned on the same goal: to restore operations safely and protect the communities around the SLF,” Dumagan said. DENR and the Environmental Management Bureau said they recognize the urgency of restoring landfill operations as garbage collection delays continue to affect parts of the city.
However, officials stressed that public safety and environmental protection remain the top priorities. EMB-Davao Regional Director Alnulfo M. Alvarez said agency personnel have been present during assessments, including drone mapping, slope stability evaluations, leachate monitoring, and inspections of a proposed temporary disposal area within the landfill site.
“Once we confirm that all safety measures are in place, we can consider lifting the suspension order,” Alvarez said. About 180 families have already been evacuated from high-risk areas surrounding the landfill, while retrieval operations continue for one remaining missing individual. DENR said it will validate the city's compliance once all required corrective measures have been completed. To help address the city's waste disposal challenges, DENR outlined several temporary options, including coordinating with neighboring local government units in Sta.
Cruz and Panabo City are entering into co-processing arrangements with Holcim-Geocycle for residual waste, fast-tracking the completion of a new sanitary landfill, or establishing a temporary disposal area within the existing landfill while slope stabilization works are underway. DENR Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna commended the coordination between regional offices and the city government in responding to the incident.
"This is how environmental governance should work. We will continue supporting the city until all safety requirements are met and operations can resume without putting anyone at risk," Cuna said. The agency said the city government has proposed a temporary disposal area within the sanitary landfill as part of its motion for reconsideration. The proposal remains subject to DENR verification and the completion of stabilization works, drainage controls, and other engineering interventions.
City officials have committed to completing the required measures by June 9. Mayor Sebastian Duterte said a new sanitary landfill adjacent to the existing facility has been under construction since 2024 and is expected to become operational by June 16. According to Duterte, the project has already secured its Environmental Compliance Certificate, with only the loading bay remaining under construction. He said preparations for an alternative disposal facility were already underway before the May 20 incident.
“Should our recommendation be given due weight, the need to consider your office as a garbage collection point may no longer arise prior to the new facility becoming operational on June 16, 2026,” Duterte said. The mayor also thanked residents for their patience and cooperation as the city works to address the garbage collection backlog. DENR also denied social media claims that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the suspension of garbage collection operations in Davao City.
The agency clarified that the suspension order was issued by DENR on May 21 following the landfill collapse to allow retrieval operations, geotechnical assessments, and safety interventions.
"Our teams are working daily with the LGU to ensure corrective measures and safe resumption," DENR-Davao said in a statement released June 5. The landfill closure has contributed to delays in garbage collection across the city, resulting in visible waste accumulation in several areas. Some piles of uncollected garbage have remained exposed to rain and heat, producing foul odors and leachate.
In response, the City Health Office's Tropical Disease Prevention Unit conducted disinfection and decontamination activities at garbage collection points in several barangays. Unit head Melodina Babante urged residents, communities, and government agencies to work together in addressing the problem.
"This is a public concern. Dabawenyos magtinabangay ta barangay, komunidad og mga ahensiya sa goberyno magkahiusa kita ," she said. Duterte also criticized the indefinite suspension of landfill operations, saying DENR had yet to provide a timeline for reopening the facility.
He warned that prolonged closure of the landfill could worsen public health and sanitation concerns, which he attributed not to the waste itself but to what he described as the"bureaucratic inaptitude of DENR.
" “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,” Duterte said. Davao City-based environmental group Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability said the crisis highlights the need for stronger community-based waste management systems.
The group called on the city government to strengthen waste segregation at source, improve barangay participation, enhance collection systems, and prioritize long-term reforms.
"The people of Davao deserve a waste management system that is preventive, not reactive; community-driven, not top-down alone; and capable of preventing disasters rather than repeatedly responding to them after the fact," IDIS said in a statement issued June 3. Idis warned that the onset of the southwest monsoon could worsen flooding and public health risks if accumulated waste continues to clog drainage systems and waterways.
The group also noted the contrast between the city's tourism activities and the visible garbage buildup in some areas.
Please follow us on Google to support us Philippines Latest News, Philippines Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Davao City Showcases AI Robots in Council Session, Emphasizes Technology as Tool for Workforce EnhancementDuring a council session on June 2, 2026, Davao City demonstrated two AI-powered robots that performed a dance to Billie Jean by Michael Jackson. Presented by East West International Education Specialist Inc., the robots can translate up to 200 languages and respond to queries. Councilor Bonz Andre Militar highlighted the city's vision under Mayor Sebastian Duterte to digitalize and become future-ready, noting that AI will aid in data analysis for city planning and faster request processing. He assured that AI will not replace human labor but serve as a tool to enhance worker productivity and create a balanced, happy workforce.
Read more »
DepEd-Davao readies schools for 1.5M enrolleesDepEd-Davao ramps up interagency repairs for classrooms and furniture as enrollment is projected to hit 1.5M.
Read more »
DENR Partners with The Ocean Cleanup to Remove Floating Waste from Pasig RiverThe Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has signed an agreement with The Ocean Cleanup to deploy waste interception technologies and conduct scientific data exchanges to support river rehabilitation efforts.
Read more »
Duterte Cites Garbage Buildup as DENR XI Suspends Landfill OperationsPresident Duterte announced new waste collection points, including one at the DENR XI office, to highlight the volume of garbage accumulating after the New Carmen Sanitary Landfill collapse. The DENR XI temporarily halted landfill operations following the May 20 collapse that caused two casualties, prioritizing slope stabilization and safety. Davao City Mayor argues that corrective measures could proceed alongside operations to avoid public health risks, while DENR-EMB XI Director Alvarez emphasizes safety as paramount and proposes alternatives like coordination with neighboring LGUs and a temporary disposal area. Duterte also notes the lack of a definite reopening timeline from DENR XI and mentions the city's new landfill construction in 2024 with an ECC secured.
Read more »