Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso – Photo courtesy of Isko Moreno Domagoso/Facebook.
Environmental advocates criticized the Manila city government over its revised garbage collection fees for businesses, claiming Ordinance No. 9151 is legally questionable, lacks transparency, and may violate national environmental law and constitutional rights.
The ordinance, signed by Mayor Francisco “Isko” Moreno Domagoso on December 1, 2025, updates garbage collection rates and makes payment mandatory for the issuance or renewal of business permits.
In a January 22 statement, the Manila Anti-Incinerator Alliance (MAIA) said the measure “does not meet the basic requirements for a valid regulatory fee” under the Local Government Code, which mandates that local fees be fair, reasonable, and within the means of those charged. The group noted that fees should be limited to managing “non-recyclable and special wastes.”
MAIA also said the ordinance “does not clearly identify what types of waste are being charged, nor does it explain how the fees were computed,” leaving businesses unable to assess whether the rates are justified.
Mayor Moreno defended the increase during a January 19 “Talk to the People” broadcast, explaining that annual fees appear high but break down to small daily costs. He said, “‘Let’s just say 12,000 lang ang babayaran mo sa negosyo. Then let’s divide it by 365 days… Most likely you will arrive between 30 pesos, 31 or 32 pesos per day.’”
Moreno emphasized that garbage collection is continuous, not occasional, adding, “Ang paghakot ng basura ay araw-araw and it costs money—and that money is your money.” He cited the city’s funding gap of 110 million to 1.35 billion pesos as the reason for the adjustment.
He further illustrated the cost per employee, noting, “‘32 pesos a day. Tatlo ang empleyado mo, i-divide natin. Magkano isang araw? 10 pesos. Mahal po ba? Kayo na po ang humusga.’” Moreno stressed that the revised fees apply only to businesses, not residents.
MAIA dismissed the mayor’s explanation as inadequate, pointing out discrepancies between the broadcast’s per-person calculation and the ordinance’s per-square-meter basis. The group cited the Supreme Court ruling in Ferrer Jr. v. Quezon City (2015), which invalidated a fee ordinance for lacking a clear computation.
City officials maintain the fees are regulatory, not taxes, and based on actual service costs. City Legal Officer Luch Gempis Jr. said the Quezon City case does not apply because Manila’s charges target businesses exclusively. City Treasurer Paul Vega added the rates were updated after a study to reflect rising hauling and disposal costs since 2013.
MAIA warned that the ordinance may violate RA 9003, the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, and could favor hauling and waste-to-energy incineration over waste reduction. The group urged the city to disclose fee computations, implement RA 9003 fully, and involve the public in policymaking. “Until the ordinance is aligned with law, public policy, and constitutional protections, green groups maintain that Ordinance No. 9151 remains legally vulnerable and harmful to Manila’s people and environment,” the statement said.