The Department of Environment and Natural Resources 11 (DENR 11) has issued a warning against individuals involved in the illegal dumping of garbage in front of its regional office in Lanang, Davao City.
In a public advisory, DENR 11 reminded the public that littering, throwing, and dumping waste in public places are prohibited under Republic Act No. 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, particularly Section 48 of the law.
The agency said it is preparing legal action against those responsible for the unauthorized disposal of waste outside its office.
DENR 11 added that the individuals and vehicles involved in the incident have already been identified.
The agency reiterated that violations of environmental laws will not be tolerated and warned that those found responsible for illegal dumping may face legal consequences under existing environmental regulations.
The warning came after the area in front of the DENR 11 office was used as a temporary garbage collection point amid a growing waste management crisis in Davao City.
Mounds of garbage were seen outside the regional office on Friday as tensions continued to rise over the closure of the New Carmen Sanitary Landfill in Barangay New Carmen, Tugbok District.
The suspension of landfill operations has disrupted the city’s waste disposal system and raised concerns over sanitation and public health.
The dispute stems from an order issued by Environment Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna suspending operations at the landfill.
In response, Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte said the city government had already begun developing a new sanitary landfill adjacent to the existing facility in 2024 and had been preparing alternative waste disposal measures ahead of the closure.
According to Duterte, the Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) for the project has already been secured, with only the completion of the loading bay remaining. The new facility is expected to become operational by June 16, 2026.
The mayor maintained that the existing landfill could safely resume operations while corrective measures are being implemented.
He argued that the closure has caused delays in garbage collection and increased the risk of sanitation issues across the city.
To manage the growing volume of uncollected waste, Duterte designated additional collection points, including an area in front of the DENR 11 office.
Meanwhile, to address Davao City’s waste disposal needs during the suspension, DENR 11 presented several interim options to the local government.
These include coordinating temporary disposal arrangements with neighboring local government units such as Sta. Cruz and Panabo City, entering into co-processing agreements with Holcim-Geocycle for residual waste, fast-tracking the development of a new sanitary landfill, and establishing a temporary disposal area within the existing landfill site subject to necessary engineering interventions.
