A petition for a cease-and-desist order and revocation of the environmental compliance certificate (ECC) of the Eco Protect Management Corp. (EPMC) in Barangay Mancatian, Porac has been filed by an environmental group before the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
In the petition addressed to DENR Secretary Raphael P. M. Lotilla, citizen’s watchdog and think tank group Pinoy Aksyon for Governance and the Environment, Inc. (Pinoy Aksyon) urged for the immediate investigation on EcoProtect due to alleged multiple violations of environmental and waste management laws, based on clear evidence of noncompliance and harm to public welfare.
“This action is necessary due to grave and ongoing violations of environmental laws, risks to public health, and mounting community opposition substantiated by evidence and government findings,” the group, led by chairman Bency G. Ellorin, said.
In light of alleged environmental degradation, public health threats, and recent findings by provincial authorities, Pinoy Aksyon has requested the DENR to establish an independent review body composed of geologists, hydrologists, environmental engineers, local government officials, civil society groups, and directly affected residents to provide recommendations for ecological rehabilitation.
According to Pinoy Aksyon, this petition is reportedly based on technical studies, drone surveillance, firsthand community reports, and recent official actions by Pampanga provincial authorities that highlight the alleged severity of the situation.
“We call on the DENR to act with urgency in defense of the welfare of Pampanga’s people and ecosystems. We urge the DENR to do a back-tracking assessment on the environmental soundness of the project,” the group added.
Pinoy Aksyon said that as provided for in DAO 2003-30, an environmental impact assessment (EIA) is required before a sanitary landfill project is issued with an ECC.
“We believe that a validly conducted EIA would have addressed environmental hazards posed by the project,” they said.
In the letter, Pinoy Askyon has cited their grounds for petition, first of which is the location of the facility, which is constructed on reportedly unstable lahar terrain.
According to the group, the landfill is reportedly built on lahar deposits from the 1991 Mt. Pinatubo eruption. These deposits, they said, are known to be structurally weak and geotechnically unstable.
The group also cited a study, “Strength and Deformation Characteristics of Re-Deposited Lahar from Mt. Pinatubo” by Orense and Zapanta (2002), which states that lahar is highly susceptible to erosion and liquefaction, particularly during rainfall or seismic activity.
Drone footage over the facility also allegedly confirms soil erosion, waste instability, and a lack of structural safeguards that increase the risk of collapse, the group said.
They also cited threat of water contamination from leachate, as the landfill lies just meters away from the Pasig-Potrero River, which is an essential waterway supporting the needs of Porac, Bacolor, Santa Rita, Guagua, and other nearby towns.
There is also allegedly no visible containment system to prevent leachate from entering the river during floods or typhoons, exposing communities to the risk of water pollution, endangering drinking water supplies, irrigation systems, and aquifers that support local agriculture and households.
Pinoy Aksyon also mentioned EcoProtect’s alleged lack of a functioning materials recovery facility (MRF), which is a basic requirement under Republic Act 9003, the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.
“Without proper waste segregation and recovery systems, the site serves as an uncontrolled dumping ground rather than a sanitary landfill,” the group said.
Nearby residents have reported alleged persistent foul odors and thick dust in the air, the group also said.
These emissions may carry microplastics, toxic particles, and disease-causing organisms. The alleged lack of dust barriers, air filtration systems, or windbreaks allows pollution to travel into neighboring communities, increasing the risk of respiratory illnesses, particularly among children and the elderly, according to Pinoy Aksyon.
EcoProtect, according to the group, allegedly has no publicly available groundwater monitoring data or evidence of emergency protocols.
“Community members have not been consulted or informed about the risks. This lack of oversight and engagement violates the principles of environmental justice and public accountability,” the group stated.
The group also emphasized that even local authorities have taken notice of the landfill’s alleged violations.
It can be recalled that on June 11, then Pampanga Governor Dennis “Delta” Pineda ordered the suspension of hauling passes of garbage trucks from Bulacan after personally inspecting the Eco Protect facility. The inspection revealed unpermitted waste dumping from Bulacan and the presence of hazardous waste materials, including improperly labeled medical waste such as dextrose bags.
“These constitute violations of RA 9003 and RA 6969, which regulate hazardous substances and mandate strict handling and disposal protocols,” the group said.
The governor, acting out of concern for residents’ health, called for immediate investigation into the landfill’s operations.
The public is also being urged by the group to require the release of all environmental impact assessments, groundwater monitoring results, and regulatory compliance reports submitted by Eco Protect.
They also called for the immediate, mandatory rehabilitation of all affected areas and implement accountability measures for any violations, including improper handling of hazardous waste and contamination of nearby ecosystems. Press release
