Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso ordered the release of P18 million on Monday to fund the full-year allowances of approximately 3,000 retired public school teachers in the city.

The payout covers the Old Age Sustenance Allowance for January through December 2025. Under City Ordinance No. 7977, retired teachers aged 70 and older are entitled to P500 monthly, or P6,000 annually.

Domagoso said he opted to release the entire year’s worth of funds instead of the initially requested six-month allocation of P9 million.

“Good things come to those who wait,” Domagoso said during the flag-raising ceremony at City Hall. “I already advised the City Treasurer to release P18 million for our retired teachers.”

The mayor cited that Manila’s improving fiscal position has allowed the city to settle previous obligations. Distribution of the funds is scheduled to take place from 16 to 20 February.

A product of the city’s public school system himself, Domagoso credited the educators for producing the city’s professionals. “I am sure you have produced doctors, engineers, and lawyers,” he said.

In a separate announcement Monday, the local government rolled out a 10-year solid waste management plan focused on source segregation and waste reduction.

The strategy comes as the city grapples with a significant spike in garbage. Department of Environmental and Public Services director Kenneth Amurao reported that per capita waste generation in the capital has nearly doubled, rising from 0.6 kilograms to almost 1 kilogram per person daily.

The plan prioritizes small-scale composting at city-operated materials recovery facilities and partnerships with private firms for recycling. Amurao said the roadmap will be updated every two years to potentially incorporate waste-to-energy technologies.

The shift in strategy follows the August 2025 closure of the Navotas Sanitary Landfill. Manila currently diverts its waste to a facility in San Mateo, Rizal, which has led to increased hauling costs and longer turnaround times for collection trucks.

“Whether the waste came from us or not, what matters most is that we as a city government must do our job,” Domagoso said, acknowledging the daily work of the Estero Rangers and Manila Bay cleanup teams.