DENR closes Bataan dumpsite

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has issued a cease and desist order against the municipal government of Limay in Bataan for operating an illegal open dumpsite.

Environment Undersecretary has ordered Limay Mayor Lilvir Roque to immediately cease and desist from operating the dumpsite and “conduct immediate rehabilitation of the area” located in Barangay San Francisco de Asis I.

Antiporda said the operation of the Limay dumpsite must be stopped to prevent it from reaching the nearby Manila Bay, which is currently undergoing rehabilitation.

“We cannot clean Manila Bay if we allow this. We will just waste our time and money in cleaning if we have this,” he said.

The Limay open dumpsite is located right beside a creek that flows to Mamala River, which drains into Manila Bay. Waste pile in the area is estimated to be two-story high or about six meters.

The open dumpsite sits on a seven-hectare property owned by the Limay municipal government.

Limay has an existing memorandum of agreement with Metro Clark Waste Management Corp. in connection with the dumpsite’s safe closure and rehabilitation. The MOA was signed in 2015 and will expire in December this year.