Manila's mayor Francisco Domagoso returns to office to tackle a significant waste management crisis, declaring a state of emergency as the city grapples with uncollected garbage due to service withdrawal by contractors over billing disputes.
Mayor of Manila Declares Emergency Amidst Trash Crisis
Mayor of Manila Declares Emergency Amidst Trash Crisis
Philippine capital faces a surge in waste as garbage collection halts over unpaid bills.
Francisco Domagoso, recently reinstated as mayor of Manila, faced an urgent crisis upon his return to office on Monday, finding the city engulfed in uncollected garbage following the cessation of services from waste collection companies due to unpaid invoices. In the weeks leading up to his return, substantial amounts of trash had accumulated across the streets of the Philippine capital, making certain roads unpassable, and even flooding the streets with refuse during monsoon rains.
Manila, a city already wrestling with heavy congestion and pollution, found the situation exacerbated due to weeks of delay in waste disposal. As the situation became critical, Mr. Domagoso noted that nearly two million residents have been subjected to a foul odor and health hazards. Speaking during a livestream, he urged constituents to temporarily store their waste at home as services were anticipated to resume.
He swiftly declared a state of emergency the following day, emphasizing the human toll of the sanitation crisis. The mayor attributed the failure to address the city's waste problem to his predecessor, Honey Lacuna, asserting that the prior administration had left the city in significant debt to the refuse removal contractors.
A former actor known as Isko Moreno, Domagoso's experience as a garbage collector before his rise in public service adds a personal layer to his dedication to addressing the city's foe of waste management and public health. Upon taking charge once again, he plans to rally city officials and citizens alike to restore effective waste management services in Manila.
