Imus cuts garbage pickups in half

Diesel tops P100 per liter, leaving residents to store trash longer.

Imus households may soon find themselves keeping piles of garbage at home for longer as the city cuts collection from twice a week to once, blaming diesel prices that have climbed past ₱100 per liter.

In an October 19 announcement, the Imus City government said garbage collection would be reduced from twice a week to once a week until further notice.

Diesel, which cost more than ₱58 per liter during the procurement period, has since climbed to more than ₱100 per liter, raising the operating expenses of the contractor running the city’s garbage collection trucks, according to the local government.

The change means households will have to store their waste for longer periods between scheduled pickups, potentially worsening foul odors, attracting pests, and creating sanitation concerns, particularly for families with limited space to store their trash.

Missed or delayed collections could also leave trash accumulating along streets and in communal disposal areas, especially in densely populated neighborhoods where waste can quickly overwhelm available space.

The reduction may also put pressure on residents to manage their waste more carefully, as the city urged households to segregate trash, recycle, and reduce the amount they throw away.

However, proper waste segregation alone cannot replace regular collection, particularly for residual waste that households cannot recycle or safely store for extended periods.

The city government apologized for the inconvenience and asked residents to cooperate while it addresses the higher cost of diesel.

It did not provide a date for when twice-weekly collection would resume, saying residents should wait for a further announcement on the revised schedule.

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