Quezon city: The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has expressed openness to amending the country's solid waste management law, following the catastrophic landfill collapse in Cebu. DENR Secretary Raphael Lotilla emphasized the need for a thorough review of the law's implementation during the 25th anniversary of the signing of Republic Act (RA) 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, which has been in effect since 2000.
According to Philippines News Agency, Lotilla acknowledged that while RA 9003 remains fundamentally sound, there are significant gaps in its implementation that need addressing. He noted the increasing challenges posed by urbanization and the necessity for a critical reassessment given changing conditions. 'We acknowledge that there are challenges. Implementation has been uneven. Urbanization continues to generate pressure on our waste systems, and incidents like the one that took place in the Cebu landfill tragedy remind us of the cost of weak compliance,' Lotilla remarked during a press briefing in Quezon City.
Lotilla stated that the DENR is actively participating in congressional discussions on possible amendments to RA 9003, which may include the adoption of newer waste management technologies and enhanced accountability from households to local governments. He also ordered a comprehensive review of the law's nationwide implementation, which involves a detailed inspection of all operating sanitary landfills to evaluate their safety, lifespan, and adherence to environmental standards.
While routine monitoring is already in place, Lotilla highlighted that many landfills were approved based on outdated assumptions, which no longer apply amid increased waste generation, extreme weather, and seismic activity. The Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) and the Mines and Geosciences Bureau will reassess issues such as slope stability, overcapacity, and geological risks.
In addition to infrastructure and policy reforms, Lotilla stressed the importance of enforcing waste segregation at the source, which remains inconsistent despite high compliance rates reported by local governments. Of the country's 1,642 local government units, 1,515 have submitted the required 10-year solid waste management plans; however, only about 53 percent of the waste generated nationwide is disposed of in sanitary landfills, with the remainder often improperly managed.
Lotilla concluded that as the DENR reviews the law's implementation and considers amendments to RA 9003, its primary goal will be to prevent further tragedies and enhance the resilience, accountability, and responsiveness of the country's waste management system to current realities.
