The national president of Nagkakaisang Guardians recently urged local government units (LGUs) in Pampanga to comply with the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 or Republic Act 9003.
Alfonso “Sonny” Dobles, Jr., national president of the Nagkakaisang Guardians, said residents of cities and municipalities in the province have recently noticed the rampant dumping of solid wastes along major roads and open sites.
“Marami na namang reports na umaabot sa atin mula sa mga kasamahan natin sa Nagkakaisang Guardians na dumarami na naman ang mga illegal dumpsites pati na rin ang walang humpay na pagtatapon ng basura sa mga daan. Kailangang paigtingin ng national government ang pagpapatupad ng RA 9003,” Dobles said.
On January 3, a big volume of garbage was dumped along the city road just a few meters from the Ospital Ning Angeles in Barangay Pampang, Angeles City.
Last December, truckloads of solid wastes were also dumped at the side of ONA and at the back of the new restaurant, also in Barangay Pampang.
Francis Pangilinan, chief of the Angeles City Environmental Management System (EMS) Department, clarified that the dumping of wastes near the Ospital Ning Angeles was temporary.
The EMS team removed and hauled the wastes on the same day, just a few hours after receiving reports from concerned residents.
Pangilinan said they have investigated the incident by checking the CCTV cameras in the area.
The EMS official said they were able to identify the perpetrator.
He added that four other persons were caught dumping wastes in the same area on Monday, January 5, 2026.
According to Pangilinan, the perpetrators were charged for anti-littering and required to pay penalties.
The suspects' motorcycles were also impounded by the city government, he said.
Pangilinan added that he also assigned a six-man team around the ONA area to monitor and apprehend individuals caught dumping wastes.
“The incident in ONA was an isolated case. The dumping of waste there was temporary. We are strictly monitoring the area now to prevent this from happening again. We also appeal to the Nagkakaisang Guardians not to single out Angeles City for the sake of fairness,” Pangilinan said.
Dobles said similar reports of illegal dumping of wastes were received from Guardians in Barangay Cutud, Angeles City and Pandacaqui, Mexico.
“Bumabalik tayo sa kawalan ng disiplina. Kami ay naniniwala na may mas malalim na prublema sa likod ng mga pagtatapon na ito. Mapipilitan tayong mag-imbestiga at magsampa ng kaso sa mga local government units na hindi tumutupad sa batas," Dobles said.
A decade ago, Dobles filed cases against 10 LGUs in Pampanga for the violation of the RA 9003.
“Hindi kami magdadalawang isip na gawin ulit ito para magising na naman ang ating mga LGUs sa kanilang sinumpaang mga tungkulin. Karapatan ng mga mamamayang nagbabayad ng buwis na ang pamahalaan ay tumuopad sa kanyang tungkulin para sa kalusugan at kaligtasan ng lahat,” Dobles said.
The Nagkakaisang Guardians is one of the partners in the ABACAN Program, a clean-up initiative for the Abacan River launched on April 22, 2025.
The main implementers for the program are the Balibago Waterworks and Metro Angeles Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (MACCII).
Dobles is also the vice president and one of the board directors of the Abacan River and Angeles Watershed Advocacy Council, Inc. (ARAW-ACI), the prime mover in the rehabilitation of the Sapangbato watershed in Angeles City.