Governor Dennis “Delta” Pineda met with truckers and haulers from Bulacan and Pampanga on Friday at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center to address concerns over waste hauling operations, particularly the activities at EcoProtect Management Corp. (EPMC) landfill and the entry of garbage from outside the province.
The meeting followed recent findings of environmental violations uncovered during an on-site inspection led by Governor Delta and the Provincial Government-Environment and Natural Resources Office (PG-ENRO). Among the violations were unpermitted truck entries, dumping of hazardous waste, and failure to comply with national waste transport regulations.
Last June 11, the provincial government issued a 15-day suspension of hauling passes for Bulacan truckers to allow a joint composite team to complete its investigation.
During the dialogue, Governor Delta announced stricter regulations to control waste hauling activities. All trucks entering Pampanga must now have permanent markings indicating whether they are transporting sand, gravel, or garbage. Haulers carrying waste must also ensure that no hazardous materials are included in their loads.
To further monitor hauler operations, Governor Delta proposed the installation of GPS devices in trucks to prevent illegal dumping.
“Lalagyan natin ng sistema ngayon,” Governor Delta said. “Unfair sa mga Kapampangan kung tayo ang tatanggap ng basura ng iba. Lalo na ang mga anak natin ang magsa-suffer.”
Only truckers hauling sand and gravel who attended the meeting will be allowed conditional entry into Pampanga. Those who did not attend will remain suspended until further discussions.
The governor also confirmed that the provincial government will file charges against violators of environmental and transport regulations.
“Hindi po natin pwedeng palampasin. Kailangan po nating i-implement ang disiplina para matuto ang truckers,” he stressed.
An ordinance is also being finalized to institutionalize the new rules, with the provincial government aiming to complete it within the week.
Governor Delta appealed for understanding from the haulers, emphasizing that these measures are meant to protect Pampanga’s environment and safeguard public health.
