Metro Manila, Philippines – Authorities are searching for three waste pickers reportedly missing after a portion of the sanitary landfill in Rodriguez, Rizal collapsed on Friday, Feb. 20.
In a statement on Sunday, Feb. 22, the municipal government of Rodriguez said it is working with the landfill’s private operator, International Solid Waste Integrated Management Specialist, Inc. (ISWIMS), in searching for the missing people and addressing the situation.
Office of Civil Defense deputy spokesperson Diego Mariano said the office only received the report from the regional office on Sunday, two days after the incident.
“The cause is not a trashslide rather ‘pagbuka ng gabundok na basura’ [the mountain of garbage spread open] as MDRRMO Rodriguez described,” Mariano said.
He has yet to provide more details on the incident, which happened late Friday afternoon.
Urban poor group Kadamay said around 50 people were feared buried alive, citing reports from residents.
Mariano, however, said this was “not accurate nor factual.”
“Nananawagan ang Kadamay ng agarang rescue operations para sa mga nawawala, pagbubukas ng malaya at transparent na imbestigasyon, at pagpapanagot sa ISWIMS at sa lokal na pamahalaan ng Rodriguez sa kanilang kapabayaan at pagtatakip sa trahedya,” the group said in a statement.
[Translation: Kadamay calls for the immediate rescue operations for the missing, opening a free and transparent investigation, and holding ISWIMS and the local government of Rodriguez for their neglect and cover-up of the tragedy.]
The Rizal Provincial Sanitary Landfill in Barangay San Isidro in Rodriguez town is a Category 4 facility operated by private firm ISWIMS.
The landfill receives residual waste from Rodriguez town and 25 more areas across Metro Manila, Cavite, and Bulacan, according to data from the National Solid Waste Management Commission.
NewsWatch Plus has reached out to contact information available on the firm’s social media pages.
Rodriguez Mayor Ronnie Evangelista called on the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to conduct an investigation on the situation as it was a “matter of national concern.”
Rizal Gov. Nina Ynares has also written to the DENR to immediately conduct the probe and demand the ISWIMS to take remedial measures to prevent any further risks to surrounding communities and the environment.
The province has two more privately-operated landfills in Morong and San Mateo towns, and another under the control of Antipolo City.
DENR response
The Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) in Calabarzon has ordered immediate stabilization operations in the Rodriguez landfill, such as leveling and sloping of the eroded area, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said on Sunday.
The bureau deployed its personnel on Saturday to conduct an on-site investigation to assess the extent of the erosion and to verify reports of missing individuals.
The DENR-EMB directed Green Leap Solid Waste Management to provide a detailed action plan, conduct waste compaction and daily soil covering, control heavy equipment movement, restrict access to high-risk zones, and implement slope stabilization and regular site inspections.
“A technical conference will be conducted by EMB Calabarzon with the operator of the sanitary landfill to discuss the details of the incident, status of ECC (environmental compliance certificate) Compliances, and will issue the corresponding Notice of Violation for identified non-compliance with their ECC conditions based on the results of the investigation,” the DENR said.
In 2013, a deadly trash slide incident also took place in the landfill, claiming four lives. The ISWIMS was also the operator at the time.
In January, a large section of the Binaliw landfill in Cebu City collapsed, killing 36 people who were buried in the avalanche of garbage and debris.
Following the tragedy, Environment Secretary Raphael Lotilla ordered the immediate inspection of all operational sanitary landfills in the country.
