Hontiveros wants probe into sanitary landfills after Binaliw incident

MANILA, Philippines – Senator Risa Hontiveros filed a resolution on Tuesday, February 3, seeking a probe into the national solid waste management framework following the tragic Binaliw landfill incident in Cebu City that killed 36 individuals.

Hontiveros specifically mentioned the sanitary landfill in San Mateo, Rizal, and the communities near landfills regularly exposed to foul odors, fly infestations, and toxic fluids polluting waterways.

Last year, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority ordered Manila to redirect its trash to the New San Mateo Sanitary Landfill after the closure of the Navotas landfill.

“[T]he landfill model, in particular, cannot fix the mounting trash problem, as lands dedicated thereto are reaching their maximum capacities, a reality seen in the city of Cebu,” the resolution says.

But Hontiveros also warned against waste-to-energy models, saying this may “further exacerbate the environmental and public health crisis by creating monetary incentives that encourage excessive dumping, rather than pursuing more sustainable alternatives.”

Environment Secretary Raphael Lotilla recently said that among the possible amendments to Republic Act No. 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 is allowing new incineration technologies. He said new technologies have been developed that can meet environmental standards.

Following the Binaliw incident in Cebu, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has ordered a nationwide inspection of landfills across the country, including the one in San Mateo.

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