Iloilo goes hard vs illegal roadside dumping

By Mariela Angella Oladive

The Iloilo provincial government will step up enforcement against illegal roadside dumping by strengthening barangay-level waste tracking and installing surveillance cameras in identified hotspots.

Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. convened environmental advocates during the Limpyo Iloilo Stakeholders Summit on Feb. 12 at Days Hotel Iloilo to address persistent unauthorized waste disposal across the province.

Data from a “Limpyo Dalanon” trash audit conducted by the Provincial Government Environment and Natural Resources Office showed special waste, including used masks and diapers, topped the list at 25 kilograms.

Other materials collected included glass bottles at 19.2 kilograms and low-density polyethylene, such as wrappers and cellophane, at 18.8 kilograms.

The audit also logged polyethylene terephthalate bottles at 16.04 kilograms and food packaging at 6.6 kilograms.

Tin and aluminum cans accounted for 3.5 kilograms, while high-density polyethylene utensils and stirrers totaled 1.17 kilograms.

Cups accounted for 0.5234 kilograms, while cigarette butts and other residual waste totaled 0.01 kilogram.

Total waste collected during the audit reached 90.84 kilograms.

Officials said a significant portion of the waste appeared to come from households and nearby barangays, while some was allegedly discarded by commuters from public transport vehicles.

Local officials also presented identified illegal dumping areas during the summit.

In Oton, flagged areas included portions of Botong Zones 1 to 3, sections near the municipal cemetery, parts of Poblacion South and East, and stretches of Route 1 traversing barangays with limited street lighting.

In Guimbal, officials reported dumping incidents along the esplanade in Barangays Bagumbayan and Balantad and along provincial roads in Barangays Nagapay and Nanga.

In Ajuy, photos presented during the summit showed garbage bags and plastic waste dumped along roadsides in Barangays Luca and Mangorocoro.

The audit also documented plastic waste discarded along waterways in Barangay Ayaman, Cabatuan.

Rather than focusing solely on cleanup operations, Defensor emphasized the need for a systematic collection and monitoring mechanism to help determine the sources of illegally dumped waste.

“We need to have a system for collection. We will all help in whatever way we can so that we can clearly determine where the garbage is coming from,” Defensor said.

He urged mayors and barangay officials to strictly enforce solid waste management practices, from segregation and collection to proper disposal.

Recognizing varying municipal capacities, Defensor said the province will help upgrade local solid waste management facilities.

The provincial government also committed financial support for the procurement and installation of closed-circuit television cameras in areas identified as dumping hotspots to strengthen surveillance and enforcement.

As of January 2026, Iloilo generates an estimated 140.29 metric tons of waste per day, provincial data showed.

The intensified campaign is part of the broader Limpyo Iloilo program, which aims to improve compliance with environmental laws and reduce illegal waste disposal across the province.

Illegal dumping can clog drainage systems and waterways, worsen flooding during heavy rains and pose public health risks, prompting local governments to pair cleanup drives with enforcement and monitoring.