Manila Extends Deadline for New Waste Contractors to Clear Holiday Trash

The Manila city government has set a new deadline of January 10 for its newly appointed waste management firms, Philippine Ecology Systems Corp. (PhilEco) and MetroWaste Solid Waste Management Corp., to remove all holiday garbage. This directive comes after the companies secured a lucrative PHP842.7 million contract to handle the city’s waste collection. Mayor Honey Lacuna emphasized the urgency of the task, stating that the firms must clear all Christmas and New Year waste by the specified date. The city is closely monitoring the operations to ensure compliance and restore cleanliness in Manila. In addition, Lacuna refuted claims by the former contractor, Leonel Waste Management Corp., that the city owes them over PHP500 million. She clarified that any outstanding payments for services in 2024 are being processed and are significantly less than the claimed amount. Lacuna also noted that Leonel’s decision not to bid for the new contract was their own, and it should not disrupt city services. Under the new agreements, MetroWaste will manage waste in Districts 1, 2, and 3, while PhilEco will handle Districts 4, 5, and 6. The mayor expressed optimism that the new contractors would outperform their predecessor, and the city is committed to upholding the contracts as long as performance standards are met or exceeded.