Manila, Philippines – San Mateo Mayor Omie Rivera has released a statement regarding the sudden dumping of garbage from the City of Manila at the New San Mateo Sanitary Landfill, which he claims was done without any prior notice or consultation with the San Mateo local government.
According to Mayor Rivera, the said landfill was designated only as an alternative dumping site in case the main landfill in Montalban ceased operations.
He added that it was not designed to handle large volumes of waste, especially not from major cities like Manila.
The mayor also expressed concern over the possible health risks to local residents and the expected worsening of traffic due to the additional garbage trucks entering the area.
While Mayor Rivera acknowledged the authority of the MMDA, he emphasized that the agency must still comply with existing constitutional guidelines, including proper coordination with affected local governments.
As of now, the mayor plans to formally raise the issue again with the MMDA to establish proper coordination between the San Mateo local government and the concerned agencies.
The controversy began when Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso announced that he had received notice from MMDA Chair Romando Artes, stating that Manila’s garbage would begin to be transferred to the San Mateo Landfill starting August 27.
Mayor Isko had earlier pointed out that the distance between San Mateo and Manila could lead to delays in the turnaround time of garbage trucks and place an added burden on the city.
Meanwhile, the Manila mayor stated that the city is prepared to deploy new hauling trucks in coordination with the Department of Public Services (DPS) and private contractors.
He also mentioned plans to establish a Transfer Station to ensure efficient waste transportation to the New San Mateo Sanitary Landfill (NSMSLF).