Kwento Ni Toto: Solid Waste Management Act

Two and a Half Decades On: What Has Happened to the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act?

Marco Polo Demo 1/27/2026 02:00:00 PM

Twenty-five years after the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act (Republic Act No. 9003) was signed into law, the Philippines still contends with mounting garbage, strained waste systems, and recurring disasters linked to unmanaged waste. Congress, communities and environmental groups marked the anniversary Tuesday with both praise for progress and calls for renewed action.

Enacted in 2001, RA 9003 set out to change how Filipinos handle waste by promoting segregation at source, recycling, composting and shared accountability across households, businesses and government. The law mandated local government units (LGUs) to prepare 10-year solid waste management plans and establish materials recovery facilities (MRFs) and sanitary landfills to divert waste from unmanaged disposal.

Some Gains: More Facilities, Better Compliance

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the number of material recovery facilities nationwide reached 12,855 in 2024, a rise from 11,823 the previous year, while 343 sanitary landfill facilities were recorded, that is also up from the prior year. These facilities are central to RA 9003’s framework.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) reports that nearly 89 percent of LGUs now have approved solid waste management plans, a key step in institutionalizing the law’s requirements. From July 2022 to June 2025, plans for 1,416 of 1,592 LGUs were approved or renewed, suggesting wider compliance with the Act’s planning mandate.

Studies show that committed local leadership can drive measurable results. A case study of Cebu City found that focused implementation of RA 9003 policies led to more than 30 percent reduction in municipal solid waste generation in a recent three-year period.

Growing Waste: A Persistent Challenge

Despite these advances, solid waste generation continues to increase. PSA data show estimated national waste generation reached about 61.7 thousand tons per day in 2024, up 1.7 percent from the previous year.

A 2023 report by the Commission on Audit (COA) noted that total solid waste rose from 9.07 million metric tons in 2000 to 16.63 million in 2020, with projections as high as 24.5 million tons by 2045 if current trends persist.

Experts say that population growth, rapid urbanization and changing consumption patterns, including single-use plastics and sachets, have outpaced the law’s original targets and response capacity. Greenpeace and international analyses also point out that the majority of waste still comes from residential sources, and that low recovery and recycling rates remain a systemic issue.

Why the Waste Problem Persists

Analysts and community studies suggest several root causes:

1. Uneven Implementation at Local Levels

Although most LGUs now have waste plans, enforcement remains inconsistent. Some barangays lack functional MRFs, and many LGUs still do not have access to sanitary landfills. COA data in 2021 showed that fewer than 40 percent of barangays were served by MRFs and under 30 percent of LGUs had access to sanitary landfills.

2. Behavioral and Cultural Barriers

The law requires segregation and public participation, but behavioral change in many communities remains incomplete. Studies and municipal surveys show that some households do not segregate properly, and enforcement of penalties is rare. This limits the effectiveness of diversion goals and fosters ongoing informal dumping or burning.

3. Infrastructure and Capacity Gaps

Collection rates vary widely across regions, with some rural areas reporting collection ratios as low as 40 percent, according to a World Bank review of Philippine solid waste data. Lower collection undermines efforts to keep waste out of waterways and drain systems.

Why Floods and Calamities Still Worsen

Environmental officials have repeatedly warned that unmanaged waste clogs waterways, undermining drainage systems and amplifying flooding during typhoons and heavy rains. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. underscored this in 2025, urging waste reduction strategies to mitigate pollution and flooding, including proposed waste-to-energy projects in urban centers.

Urban flooding in Metro Manila and other cities often worsens not merely due to rainfall, but because clogged canals and drains cannot channel water efficiently, a problem tied directly to unmanaged plastic and other solid waste.

Has the Act Changed Filipino Behavior?

The answer is mixed.

On one hand, RA 9003 has embedded waste management concepts into local ordinances and community programs. Many barangays have regular segregation policies, and public education campaigns have increased awareness of proper waste disposal at the household level.

On the other hand, studies and audits point to enduring gaps in consistent compliance and public participation. Inequities in infrastructure, funding and enforcement mean that some communities benefit from well-run systems, while others lag behind.

A study by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) noted that if RA 9003 had been fully implemented as intended, solid waste problems could have been better controlled, but implementation shortfalls have left persistent issues unaddressed.

Looking Ahead: Lessons and Priorities

For the next decade, environmental leaders emphasize a shift toward a circular economy where waste is minimized and materials are reused or recovered as resources. Partnerships across sectors, stronger enforcement, smarter financing mechanisms and community-based innovations are seen as keys to deepening impact beyond infrastructure alone.

The 25th anniversary theme “Honoring our Legacy, Renewing our Commitment, Innovating for a Cleaner Tomorrow”, reflects both the progress made and the challenges ahead as the nation seeks a cleaner, healthier and more resilient future.