DENR closes 2 Misamis dumps

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has padlocked two local government-operated dumps in Misamis Oriental in line with its commitment to close all dumps in the country by the end of March.

The DENR terminated the operations of the dumps in Talisayan and Salay towns.

Under Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, no dumps should be established and operated by any person or local government.

Reynaldo Digamo, DENR-Environmental Management Bureau Northern Mindanao director, said Mayors Rommel Maslog of Talisayan and Angelo Capistrano Jr. of Salay have been cooperative in the closure of the dumps.

“Both mayors expressed their need for financial assistance to complete and sustain the implementation of their solid waste management programs,” Digamo said.

Around 200 open dumps are still operating across the country while 38 have been closed, according to the National Solid Waste Management Commission (NSWMC).

Undersecretary Benny Antiporda said the DENR would adopt a “clustered approach” in the development of sanitary landfills to enable local government units (LGUs) to implement their solid waste management programs.

The NSWMC said 140 sanitary landfills are needed to serve 772 LGUs in Luzon, 32 for 408 LGUs in the Visayas and 34 for 337 LGUs in Mindanao.