FOLLOWING the trash slide in Cebu City, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources–Davao Region (DENR-Davao), through the Environmental Management Bureau–Davao Region (EMB-Davao), issued formal notices to operating landfills, reminding them of their responsibilities.
The office also issued notices to Local Government Units (LGUs) operating sanitary landfills to reiterate their obligations under Republic Act No. 9003, also known as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, and its corresponding Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR).
“LGUs were directed to closely monitor landfill conditions, ensure the integrity of engineering and environmental control measures, undertake corrective actions when necessary, and submit reports on the current status of their sanitary landfills,” the office wrote in its statement on January 30, 2026.
The office explained that, despite the Cebu incident occurring outside the region, they wanted to take proactive steps to identify and address potential risks in the operations of sanitary landfills within the region.
DENR-Davao conducted onsite inspections at all Category 4 sanitary landfills in the region. During the inspections, the team assessed regulatory compliance, landfill and slope integrity, waste containment systems, and water quality, in order to determine possible environmental impacts.
“DENR-Davao continues to coordinate with concerned national government offices and LGUs to strengthen compliance, enhance monitoring mechanisms, and promote best practices in solid waste management,” DENR-EMB Davao said.
The office added that validation activities for other categories of landfills will also be conducted to ensure compliance and that risk mitigation measures are in place.
DENR-Davao said the Davao Regional Ecology Center (DREC) will convene on February 5, 2026 to create a multi-sectoral monitoring team tasked with assessing compliance and occupational safety standards for waste workers, with the goal of preventing incidents similar to the tragic Binaliw Sanitary Landfill accident in Cebu City.
They further stated that technical guidance and regulatory support will be provided to ensure that environmental safeguards are observed. DENR-Davao also assured the public of its commitment to prevent environmental incidents and safeguard the environment.RGP