Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso said Wednesday that the closure of a nearby landfill and the shift to a disposal site in Rizal have tripled hauling distances, forcing the city to increase garbage fees for business establishments.

Under a new directive from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, waste collected in Manila is now processed at a transfer station in Vitas before being trucked to San Mateo, Rizal.

Domagoso said the move has increased the travel distance from 10 kilometers to approximately 30 kilometers — a 200 percent jump.

The mayor cited the longer routes, alongside rising fuel prices and increased wages for sanitation workers, as the primary drivers behind the fee hikes implemented this year.

He cited that Manila’s garbage fees had not been adjusted since 2013, while the volume of waste generated by the city has nearly doubled in that time.

“The decision to raise the garbage fee was difficult but necessary,” Domagoso said, adding that the city is also working to settle outstanding commercial obligations inherited from the previous administration.

The mayor appealed to the business sector for cooperation, emphasizing that the additional revenue is essential to maintaining cleanliness and order under the new logistical constraints.

He cited that the increased operational costs and longer travel times have created significant logistical challenges for the city’s waste management system.

The fee increase went into effect this month as business owners began renewing their local permits.