Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna denied Tuesday that the city owes half a billion pesos to waste management firm Leonel Waste Management Corporation, causing the latter to stop collecting the city's trash starting January 1. 

Uncollected post-holiday trash causes a stink in Manila

In an interview, the mayor said Leonel Waste Management made no mention of a P500 million debt during its last meeting in September 2024. She said it was during that meeting that Leonel Waste Management said it will not join the bidding for the city’s waste management contract for 2025.

The city government has forged a new P842.7 million contract with 2 new garbage collection firms.

Manila strikes P842.7-M deal with new waste collectors

“Pinapa-check ko (yung utang namin) pero definitely hindi 500 million ang utang namin. Kahit sinong contractor sa lungsod ay iaabiso nila sa alkalde kung gaano na kalaki ang aming pagkaka-utang,” she said, adding that the City Treasurer’s Office will give an update within the day. 

The mayor said waste management contractors have been working round the clock since January 1 to clean up the city’s garbage, which had a 400 percent surge in waste volume over the holidays.

“Malaking bahagi na ng Maynila ang wala nang basura. Mopping na lang ang ginagawa namin ngayon…May areas pa sa Tondo and some parts of district 5, Ermita, Malate, Singalong…mopping na lang ang ginagawa namin ngayon,” she said.

She also urged residents not to bring out their trash until the garbage trucks arrive.

“Sa aking mga kababayang Manileño, unang-una ang aking paghingi ng paumanhin sa lahat ng ating mga kababayan na tumambad sa ating napakaraming basura sa nitong unang linggo ng Enero. Ako rin ay nanghihingi ng ibayong pang-unawa sa inyo at sana rin kooperasyon na sana hanggang hindi nagdaraan ang truck ng basura sa inyong mga lugar, kung maari ay huwag nyong ilalabas,” she said. 

Leonel Waste Management Corporation earlier denied that it abandoned its duty to collect the city's trash before its contract ended on Dec. 31.

"We have faithfully served our contract until December 31, 2024 despite the City of Manila’s total debt to our company amounting to PhP561,440,000," it said in a statement. 

The firm added that it had provided "reliable and consistent" services to Manila and other areas since 1993.

"We are proud of the work that we do and  will not do anything to tarnish our track record and reputation. We are grateful for the continued trust of the public and the people we serve," it said.