A recent landfill collapse in Davao City, Philippines, has drawn attention to the country's ongoing struggles with waste management and government oversight. The incident, which resulted in the death of 31-year-old Cristel, a trash picker, and left two others missing, is part of a troubling pattern of landfill disasters in the country. Earlier this year, a collapse in Cebu City claimed 36 lives, while another incident in Rizal left one person dead. Residents of Davao reported that heavy rains caused the landfill to shift, but local authorities failed to implement effective drainage solutions.

The Philippines generates about 14.6 million tons of solid waste annually, with 2.7 million tons of that being plastic. Despite the Ecological Solid Waste Management Law passed in 2000, the country has not effectively segregated waste or managed landfills, leading to unsafe conditions for the thousands of trash pickers who rely on these sites for their livelihoods. The private companies responsible for landfill operations often neglect safety protocols, allowing trash pickers to live and work in dangerous environments. The Davao congressman received P51 billion in funding during the last two years of the Duterte presidency, with little focus on improving solid waste management infrastructure.