A victory for the environment.

That's how Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Roy A. Cimatu described the 100 percent closure of all illegally operating dumpsites in the country--a goal that he had set to achieve this year in a statement last January.

Four months later, 335 open dumpsites in the Philippines have been closed down in line with the enforcement of the two-decade old Republic Act (RA) 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.

“This is a victory for the environment and the DENR. Despite the limitations brought about by the pandemic, our people never wavered in their sworn duty as public servants to get the job done,” Cimatu said.

Since 2017, the closure of dumpsites has been part of Cimatu's commitment under the country's solid waste management program.

He also said the closure of the illegal dumpsites shows President Duterte's political will, since it is only during the latter’s administration that the provision of RA 9003 was duly complied with.

DENR Undersecretary for Solid Waste Management and Local Government Units (LGUs) Concerns Benny D. Antiporda first announced the feat on Friday, May 21, after getting word that the last open dumpsite in Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental had ceased its operations.

"This shows that the DENR walks the talk and strictly adheres to what Secretary Cimatu taught us to do," said Antiporda, who is also the alternate chair of the National Solid Waste Management Commission (NSWMC).

"We have shown the public that they cannot escape the long arm of the law. It will eventually catch up with them for violating any and all laws," he pointed out.

Section 37 of RA 9003 prohibits the use of open dumpsites for solid waste. It states that “no open dumps shall be established and operated, any practice or disposal of solid waste by any person, including LGUs (local government units), which constitutes the use of open dumps for solid waste, be allowed after the effectivity of this Act.”