Camille Naredo

Workers sort plastic waste along the street in Manila on April 22, 2024. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File

Workers sort plastic waste along the street in Manila on April 22, 2024. Earth Day's theme, 'Planet vs. Plastics,' calls for widespread awareness on the health risk of plastics, rapidly phase out all single use plastics, and urgently push for a strong United Nations treaty on plastic pollution. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Plastics vs Planet

Lyza Aquino

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175630648978520240422-plastics-earth-day-MD-5697.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Workers sort plastic waste along the street in Manila on April 22, 2024. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File"/>Workers sort plastic waste along the street in Manila on April 22, 2024. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File</div>MANILA -- San Mateo Rizal Mayor Bartolome &quot;Omie&quot; Rivera Jr. expressed opposition on Wednesday to the directive of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to transfer Manila&#x27;s waste disposal operations to the New San Mateo Sanitary Landfill (NSMSLF).He cited the lack of consultation and the potential risks to residents.Manila Mayor Isko Moreno announced details of the said transfer on his Facebook page on Tuesday, August 26.&quot;Since today, we have officially received notice from MMDA with regard to shutting down the Navotas landfill. In-update ko na rin kayo na a few weeks before that, I&#x27;ve been hearing a lot of things, at ang inyong city government ay gumawa na ng mga paraan upang abatan ang posibleng magiging hamon sa ating siyudad,&quot; Moreno said on social media.&quot;Kung saan ang ating mga basura na kinukuha sa ating mga kalsada, kanya-kanyang tahanan at mga komunidad, imbes na dadalhin na lamang sa Vitas sa transfer station at dadalhin sa barge papuntang Navotas. Now it&#x27;s going to be more than a dozen or about 50-70 kilometers, away from the City of Manila. Ito&#x27;y dadalhin na po sa landfill sa may San Mateo, Rizal,&quot; he added.Rivera said in a statement on Wednesday that the San Mateo local government was <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=805357488673208&amp;id=100075968933369&amp;mibextid=wwXIfr&amp;rdid=2uM59UH3zOiiYs9P#">caught off guard by Moreno&#x27;s announcement</a> and the MMDA&#x27;s directive.&quot;Nais kong ipabatid sa lahat na maski ang inyong Pamahalaang Bayan ay nagulat sa naging pahayag ni Mayor Isko Moreno ng Maynila at sa direktiba ng MMDA hinggil sa paglipat ng tambakan ng basura ng lungsod ng Maynila sa New San Mateo Sanitary Landfill (NSMSLF) simula ngayong araw, ika-27 ng Agosto 2025. Ang hakbang na iyan ay walang naging konsultasyon o paunang abiso man lamang sa ating lokal na pamahalaan,&quot; Rivera said.He stressed that the landfill in San Mateo was originally built as an alternative facility in case of disruptions at the Montalban landfill, not as a permanent dumpsite for Metro Manila&#x27;s large-scale waste.&quot;Hindi ito nakadisenyo para tanggapin ang malalaking volume ng basura mula sa mga malalaking siyudad ng Metro Manila. Kaya kung matutuloy ang plano na dalhin sa ating bayan ang lahat ng basura ng Metro Manila, nangangamba tayo na dagliang mapupuno ang kapasidad ng landfill, lalo pang bibigat ang daloy ng trapiko, at tataas ang banta sa kalusugan at kaligtasan ng ating mga mamamayan,&quot; he warned.While acknowledging the MMDA&#x27;s authority over solid waste management in the metropolis, Rivera insisted that such directives must align with constitutional provisions, national environmental laws, and the Local Government Code.He argued that prior consultation with affected municipalities should have been a &quot;necessary step&quot; before the decision was made.Rivera also recognized public concern and pledged to call on the MMDA to reconsider its order. He urged for formal talks to address traffic, landfill management, health, and sanitation safeguards to prevent long-term harm to the town.&quot;Pangunahing pinahahalagahan ng inyong Pamahalaang Bayan ang kapakanan ng kaniyang mamamayan. Asahan ninyong patuloy natin itong babantayan at pangangalagaan,&quot; he added.In response, MMDA Chairman Atty. Romando Artes confirmed to ABS-CBN News that he had already reached out to and spoken with Rivera about the matter but declined to provide further details.As of this writing, ABS-CBN News is still awaiting a reaction from Manila Mayor Isko Moreno regarding Mayor Rivera&#x27;s statement.

San Mateo, Rizal Mayor Bartolome “Omie” Rivera Jr. expressed opposition on Wednesday to the directive of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to transfer Manila’s waste disposal to the New San Mateo Sanitary Landfill (NSMSLF).

San Mateo, Rizal Mayor Bartolome “Omie” Rivera Jr. expressed opposition on Wednesday to the directive of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to transfer Manila’s waste disposal to the New San Mateo Sanitary Landfill (NSMSLF).

San Mateo mayor opposes MMDA directive to transfer Manila’s waste to local landfill

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San Mateo mayor opposes MMDA directive to transfer Manila’s waste to local landfill

Lyza Aquino,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 27, 2025 11:30 PM PHT

Read More:

San Mateo Sanitary Landfill

Mayor Omie Rivera

MMDA

Manila Mayor Isko Moreno

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