The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has called on local government units in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) to integrate the informal waste sector (IWS) in their solid waste management (SWM) plans “to enhance waste management systems and promote inclusive environmental governance.’’
DILG-CAR Regional Director Araceli A. San Jose said informal waste workers, such as waste pickers, recyclers and junk shop operators, play a key role in solid waste recovery and management despite challenging working conditions.
“The informal waste sector has long been contributing to waste reduction and recycling efforts in our communities, yet they remain largely unrecognized in formal waste management systems,’’ San Jose noted.
By integrating the informal waste workers into the LGU-led solid waste management programs, San Jose said it does not only improve efficiency in waste recovery but also provide economic opportunities for them.
Despite their vital contribution to waste diversion and environmental sustainability, San Jose stated that the the IWS faces economic and social marginalization.
To address these, the DILG encouraged LGUs to develop policies that provide the IWS and its workers formal recognition, access to capacity-building programs, and economic inclusion.
Through DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2025-012, the LGUs are advised to strengthen their SWM initiatives by profiling the IWS, integrating them into local waste management programs, and establishing support mechanisms such as social protection, health benefits, and skills development.
The DILG also encouraged the LGUs to institutionalize policies that promote the organization of cooperatives, provision of technical assistance, and creation of opportunities for employment, formalization and potential distribution of economic incentives.
San Jose also emphasized the need for the LGUs to update their 10-Year Solid Waste Management Plans to ensure a more inclusive and sustainable approach.
“We encourage our LGUs to institutionalize programs that will recognize and support the informal waste sector. This will not only improve waste diversion rates but also promote social equity in our waste management systems,” San Jose continued.
The DILG also prodded the LGUs to partner with other national government agencies such as the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the academe to develop innovations in local waste management.