All of the open dumpsites in the country that were targeted for closure by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) have ceased their operations.
This was announced "flash report" style by DENR Undersecretary Benny Antiporda, the National Solid Waste Management Commission (NSWMC) alternate chairman, during a virtual news forum of the National Press Club (NPC) on Friday, May 21.
"As of today, may report pong natanggap ngayon lang, fresh from the region, na they stopped na operating their open dumpsite and they started yung disposal nila sa kanilang sa kanilang sanitary landfill doon sa Ozamiz City (we just received a report fresh from the regional office that the open dumpsite in Ozamiz City has stopped its operations and that they have now started disposal at their sanitary landfill)," Antiporda said during the event.
"So if that is the situation, this is good news for everybody: 100 percent na pong sarado ang lahat ng open dumpsite na ipinasasara ni Secretary Roy Cimatu (100 percent of all the open dumpsites that Secretary Roy Cimatu wanted to close have all been shut down)," he bared.
The open dumpsite in Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental had earlier been identified by Antiporda as the last open dumpsite "standing" in the Philippines.
Cimatu at the start of the year ordered the closure of all open dumpsites. Under Republic Act (RA) 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, no open dumpsites shall be established and operated by any person or local government.
Since then, around 250 such facilities have either been shut down by the DENR or voluntarily closed by their operators.
"Ang susunod po na gagawin natin is for the safe closure and rehab. Eto po yung kailangang gawan po siya ng precautionary measures para hindi siya sumabog dahil nagcre-create po ito ng methane (What needs to be done next is ensure safe closure and rehab. This has to do with performing precautionary measures to avoid explosions at the dumpsites due to the methane build up)," Antiporda noted.
After that, sanitary landfills would have to be established for the purpose of proper waste management.
"Nakahanda na po tayo dahil nandyan na po yung mga sanitary landfill operators sa coalition natin (We are ready in that regard since the sanitary landfill operators in our coalition are on standby)," the DENR official and former newsman said.