Davao New Carmen Landfill Hazard Zone Ordinance Explained
Davao City Council approved an interim hazard management zone around the New Carmen landfill on October 20. Here are the restrictions, the timeline and the background.
In this article
The Davao landfill hazard zone is now backed by an ordinance: on October 20, 2026, the Davao City Council passed on third and final reading a measure creating an Interim Hazard Management Zone around the New Carmen sanitary landfill. It restricts building and settlement on unstable slopes for at least five years, following a deadly trash slide in May.
What the council approved
SunStar Davao reported that the ordinance was passed during the council's 42nd regular session and was authored by Councilor Alberto Ungab, who chairs the committee on disaster risk reduction and management. Mindanao Times, which reported the same day, said the landfill is in Barangay New Carmen in Tugbok District.
The zone covers the area within and around the landfill, where slope instability and landslide risk are the concern. The city disaster office (CDRRMO), with the planning and environment offices, will prepare official hazard maps that classify land from low to extreme hazard, according to Mindanao Times.
The zones and what each restricts
The reports describe several categories of land. Both mention seven zones, but name only six or so, so the exact count is unclear.
| Zone | Main rule as reported |
|---|---|
| No-settlement | No new residential occupancy |
| No-build | New construction or land development only with written city authorization |
| Controlled access | Entry may be limited to authorized personnel, responders and cleared owners |
| Buffer | Width and allowed activities set by site-specific assessments |
| Monitoring | Areas watched for ground movement |
Tampering with monitoring equipment, drainage works, markers or barriers is prohibited, according to Mindanao Times.
Safeguards and how long it lasts
SunStar reported that the restrictions are described as temporary and preventive, not an expropriation, and that no eviction or demolition may happen outside legal procedures. Minor repairs that do not enlarge existing structures are allowed, and owners must allow government inspections and report ground movement.
The restrictions last a minimum of five years while stabilization works continue. A new Hazard Management Technical Working Group will decide when the hazard is controllable and may recommend lifting restrictions on parts of the zone rather than all at once. Displaced residents may return only after slope stability evaluations show the area is safe.
Why it matters: the May landfill collapse
The ordinance follows a trash slide on May 20, 2026, at the old sanitary landfill in New Carmen. SunStar described heavy rain causing water buildup in the garbage mound, which buried a nearby house. Reports differ slightly on casualties: SunStar says two people died, one is missing and two were injured, while Mindanao Times says one died, two were injured and two were missing.
Councilor Ungab said no houses or people remain inside the area, since most residents who had farmlots below the landfill relocated voluntarily with city help. SunStar said the DSWD profiled 22 affected families. After the slide, the DENR suspended disposal at the site, and the city moved its waste to an interim cell in the adjacent new landfill, SunStar reported.
Ungab also warned that El Niño could worsen the risk by cracking dry soil that later fills with rainwater.
What Davao residents and visitors should know
- If you own land near the landfill, wait for the official hazard maps before building or repairing.
- Follow Davao news sources for the maps and any enforcement notices.
- Heavy rain raises slope risk; learn how PAGASA warnings work.
- See more local coverage on our Davao page.
Sources
- SunStar Davao: Davao Council approves Landfill Hazard Zone in New Carmen
- Mindanao Times: New restrictions enforced for New Sanitary Landfill to prevent mass wasting
Frequently Asked Questions
How long will the landfill hazard zone restrictions last?
At least five years, while engineering and stabilization works continue, according to both reports.
Can anyone still live in the hazard zone?
New residential occupancy is barred in the no-settlement zone. The councilor said no one currently lives inside the affected area.
Where is the landfill?
In Barangay New Carmen, Tugbok District, Davao City.
