Marikina Solid Waste Management Program: A Case Study

Report 16: Marikina Solid Waste Management Program: A Case Study

With the inefficiency of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority to collect garbage in the metropolis, the government transferred this responsibility to local government units of Metro Manila in 1992. The same reason prompted Marikina City Mayor Bayani Fernando, after his first year in position in February 1993, to create the Marikina Task Force on Solid Waste Management. Its basic function was to maintain the cleanliness of Marikina. In 1995, the Task Force on Solid Waste Management was re-established and renamed as the Waste Management Office, through a signed city ordinance. With this, the municipality of Marikina took the sole responsibility of collecting their garbage. In the same year, the local government began to acquire additional equipment to further improve the collection of garbage in the town.

On the surface level, the city of Marikina today fares far better than other municipalities with regards to garbage collection. One fact that would substantiate the previous statement is the numerous environment-related awards conferred to Marikina City. Needless to say, the transformation of Marikina City did not happen overnight. The success of the solid waste management of Marikina lies in the effective implementation of the program, but it cannot entirely be given all the credit. To accomplish such a monumental task, the participation of the populace is a perquisite of such. But it is easy to simply say that the success of the program lies in the two factors mentioned above. But how do the local government of Marikina and its residents relate the programs’ effectiveness to the overall cleanliness of Marikina?