The national leader of a prominent environmental group has issued a strong call to local governments in Pampanga, urging strict compliance with the country's solid waste management law following a series of illegal dumping incidents.
Guardians Sound Alarm on Rampant Waste Dumping
Alfonso “Sonny” Dobles, Jr., the national president of Nagkakaisang Guardians, stated that residents across the province's cities and municipalities have reported a noticeable increase in the illegal disposal of solid waste along major roads and in open areas. The group is pushing for the national government to intensify the implementation of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, or Republic Act 9003.
"We are receiving many reports from our fellow Guardians that illegal dumpsites are multiplying again, along with the incessant dumping of garbage on roads," Dobles emphasized. He warned that the lack of discipline is returning and pointed to a potentially deeper systemic problem behind these violations.
Angeles City Incidents and Swift Response
Two specific incidents in Angeles City have highlighted the issue. On January 3, 2026, a large volume of garbage was dumped along a city road just meters from the Ospital Ning Angeles (ONA) in Barangay Pampang. This followed a similar occurrence in December, where truckloads of waste were left near the hospital and behind a new restaurant in the same barangay.
Francis Pangilinan, chief of the Angeles City Environmental Management System (EMS) Department, clarified that the dumping near ONA was a temporary situation. His team responded promptly, removing and hauling the waste within hours of receiving reports from concerned citizens.
Through an investigation that reviewed CCTV footage, the EMS identified the perpetrator of the January 3 incident. Furthermore, on Monday, January 5, 2026, four additional individuals were caught dumping waste in the same area. All offenders faced anti-littering charges, were required to pay penalties, and had their motorcycles impounded by the city government.
Monitoring and a Plea for Fairness
To prevent recurrence, Pangilinan has deployed a six-person team to monitor the ONA area. He described the incident as isolated and temporary, while also appealing to the Nagkakaisang Guardians not to single out Angeles City unfairly, emphasizing their active enforcement efforts.
History of Legal Action and Broader Concerns
Dobles revealed that similar reports of illegal dumping have come from Guardians in Barangay Cutud, Angeles City, and Pandacaqui, Mexico, Pampanga. This is not a new battle for the advocate. A decade ago, he filed cases against 10 LGUs in Pampanga for violations of RA 9003.
He issued a stern reminder, stating the group would not hesitate to take legal action again to awaken LGUs to their sworn duties. "Taxpaying citizens have the right to a government that fulfills its duty for the health and safety of all," Dobles asserted.
The Nagkakaisang Guardians is a key partner in the ABACAN Program, a clean-up initiative for the Abacan River launched on April 22, 2025. Dobles also serves as vice president and board director of the Abacan River and Angeles Watershed Advocacy Council, Inc. (ARAW-ACI), the prime mover in rehabilitating the Sapangbato watershed in Angeles City.
