San Juan City Mayor and Metro Manila Council President Francis Zamora highlighted civic discipline as a vital factor in resolving the capital region’s persistent garbage problems, particularly as accumulating trash aggravates widespread flooding across the country.
Zamora assured the public that all 17 local government units (LGUs) across the National Capital Region have existing solid waste management frameworks.
”All 17 Metro Manila LGUs have solid waste management programs in place aimed at ensuring that garbage across the NCR is collected and managed efficiently,” Zamora stated. “A strong partnership between the LGUs and our citizens is very important.”
He stressed that civic cooperation must pair with government initiatives to achieve lasting improvements in refuse management.
”Discipline among our constituents in practicing proper waste disposal, coupled with the effective implementation of solid waste management programs by the Local Government Units, can significantly improve the overall waste management situation in Metro Manila,” he said.
Data from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) indicates that the Philippines creates over 60,000 tons of trash daily, though only 52 percent gets regularly collected.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. previously identified indiscriminate garbage disposal as a primary trigger for heightened flooding, prompting him to call on both local officials and residents to adopt proper waste habits.
Concurrently, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) cautioned that routine clearing drives will remain inadequate if trash generation continues unabated.
The DENR acknowledged that enforcing Republic Act No. 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, remains a continuous hurdle. The statute explicitly bans open dumpsites alongside illegal waste haulage.
Additionally, the environment department pointed out that many fourth- to sixth-class municipalities lack the financial capability to establish dedicated sanitary landfills.