The local government of Malabon City clarified the allegation of unpaid dues to the MetroWaste Solid Waste Management Corporation (MWSWMC), the city’s waste collector.

Earlier this week, posts regarding the alleged delayed payments by the Malabon government, which prompted delayed income for Metro Waste workers, circulated on social media.

In a statement, Atty. Luis Armando Enemido, the officer-in-charge of the Malabon City Legal Department, said that the salaries of MWSWMC workers are not part of the contract between the local government and the city's waste collector.

"The salary is not mentioned in any agreement or provision between Malabon City and MWSWMC. It is clear that the local government of Malabon is not involved in matters related to the salary."

Regarding the alleged delayed payments, Enemido clarified that the local government's payment to the waste collector strongly depends on the contract’s provisions.

He added that it is also contingent on whether the waste-collecting company has received any violations.

“It can be remembered that the Metro Waste Solid Waste Management Corporation received several complaints, including the improper usage of the transfer station,” the city lawyer continued.

On September 11, the Malabon government issued a cease-and-desist order against the waste management company in response to complaints about uncollected garbage along Malabon roads and the improper disposal of waste into the local drainage system, where the trash's leachate flows.

The City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) has partnered with another private waste management firm that handles the garbage-hauling system in Malabon City.

The DAILY TRIBUNE sent an email inquiry to Metro Waste Solid Waste Management Corporation but has not yet received a response.