The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has ordered the immediate closure of an open dumpsite operating within the ancestral domain of an Aeta community in Barangay Naugsol, Subic, Zambales, following complaints over alleged violations of indigenous peoples’ rights and risks to public health and the environment.
DENR Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna said the agency issued a cease-and-desist order two days ago after several groups raised concerns over the continued operation of the dumpsite and its possible impact on residents and the community’s water source.
“We issued a cease and desist order two days ago, and based on the latest inspection by our regional office, the facility is no longer operational,” Cuna said during the Kapihan sa Manila Hotel forum hosted by former senator and Manila Hotel President Joey Lina and Manila Bulletin Publisher and former Communications Secretary Sonny Coloma.
Cuna said waste previously brought to the site would instead be transported to an alternative disposal facility in Floridablanca, Pampanga.
Reports showed that the open dumpsite began operating in 2019. The DENR discovered the facility in 2022 and ordered its closure, but operations allegedly continued despite the directive. The agency also issued a separate cease and desist order in March this year.
The environment chief acknowledged the continuing difficulties faced by local government units, including Subic, in implementing proper solid waste management systems.
Under Republic Act No. 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, open dumpsites were required to be closed within five years of the law’s effectivity.
Cuna said waste management remains a major nationwide challenge, noting that proper segregation at the barangay level has yet to be fully implemented.
He added that many fourth- and fifth-class municipalities lack the financial resources to establish and operate sanitary landfills, while accredited disposal facilities are often located far from their communities.
Despite these challenges, Cuna expressed confidence that the country’s waste management problems could be addressed through stronger cooperation among government agencies, local governments and communities.
He said long-term solutions should begin at the household level through proper waste segregation, reduced use of single-use plastics and stronger support for environmental programs.