Garbage piles up in Manila amid contractor dispute

Junk collectors pick through piles of trash at Capulong corner R-10, Tondo, Manila, on 8 January 2025. Uncollected garbage continues to accumulate in Manila due to issues with outgoing waste management contractor Leonel Waste Management Corporation.

The Manila government accused Leonel of failing to complete garbage collection on the final day of its contract—a claim the company denies, attributing its non-renewal to alleged unpaid dues of P561.44 million, which the city government refuted.

New contractors, MetroWaste and PhilEco, have been tasked with clearing the backlog, with a deadline set for Friday. Mayor Honey Lacuna apologized to residents, explaining that New Year celebrations generated quadruple the usual garbage volume but assured the public that regular collection would resume soon.

The city is also investigating potential liabilities related to the issue and has prepared a garbage collection system for the upcoming Traslacion 2025 event.