Bawal ang pagsusunog ng basura kahit sa sariling lote

ni Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta @Magtanong Kay Attorney | November 26, 2025

Dear Chief Acosta,

Palagi akong may nakikitang nagsusunog ng basura sa sariling lote, at nais ko sanang maliwanagan kung labag pa rin ba ito sa batas. Maraming salamat. -- Lowell

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Dear Lowell,

Noong taong 2000 ay bumuo ang ating pamahalaan ng mga patakaran sa wastong pagtrato at pagtatapon ng ating basura. Layunin nito na matiyak na ang mga Pilipino ay magkakaroon ng kapaligirang ligtas at walang banta sa kalusugan. 

Ang Republic Act No. 9003 (R.A. No. 9003), o mas kilala bilang Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, ay nagtatakda ng mga pamamaraan sa pagreresiklo ng mga gamit upang mabawasan ang ating mga basura, pati na rin sa mga angkop na paraan ng pagtatapon nito. Kabilang din dito ang pagbabawal sa ilang gawain para sa kalusugan ng mga mamamayang Pilipino. Batay sa Talata 3, Seksyon 48 ng nasabing batas:

“SECTION 48. Prohibited Acts. — The following acts are prohibited:

(1)  Littering, throwing, dumping of waste matters in public places, such as roads, sidewalks, canals, esteros or parks, and establishment, or causing or permitting the same;

(2)  Undertaking activities or operating, collecting or transporting equipment in violation of sanitation operation and other requirements or permits set forth in or established pursuant to this Act;

(3)   The open burning of solid waste;

(4)  Causing or permitting the collection of non-segregated or unsorted waste;

(5)   Squatting in open dumps and landfills;

(6)  Open dumping, burying of biodegradable or non-biodegradable materials in flood-prone areas;

(7) Unauthorized removal of recyclable material intended for collection by authorized persons;

(8)  The mixing of source-separated recyclable material with other solid waste in any vehicle, box, container or receptacle used in solid waste collection or disposal;

(9) Establishment or operation of open dumps as enjoined in this Act, or closure of said dumps in violation of Sec. 37;

(10)  The manufacture, distribution or use of non-environmentally acceptable packaging materials;

(11)  Importation of consumer products packaged in non-environmentally acceptable materials;

(12) Importation of toxic wastes misrepresented as “recyclable” or “with recyclable content”;

(13) Transport and dumping in bulk of collected domestic, industrial, commercial and institutional wastes in areas other than centers or facilities prescribed under this Act;

(14) Site preparation, construction, expansion or operation of waste management facilities without an Environmental Compliance Certificate required pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 1586 and this Act and not conforming with the land use plan of the LGU;

(15) The construction of any establishment within two hundred (200) meters from open dumps or controlled dumps, or sanitary landfills; and

(16) The construction or operation of landfills or any waste disposal facility on any aquifer, groundwater reservoir or watershed area and or any portions thereof.”

Upang sagutin ang iyong katanungan, maaaring mapatawan ng parusa ang sinumang mapatutunayang nagsagawa ng open burning o hayagang pagsusunog ng solid waste o basura. Hindi nagbibigay ng pagkakaiba ang batas kung ang pagsusunog ay ginawa sa loob o labas ng pag-aari ng isang tao sapagkat ang pinarurusahan ay ang gawain ng pagsusunog ng basura at walang kinalaman sa kung saan ito ginawa. 

Dagdag pa rito, ayon sa Seksyon 49(b) ng parehong batas, ang sinumang tao na hayagang nagsusunog ng basura ay maaaring patawan ng multa at/o pagkakakulong kapag napatunayang nagkasala. Ayon dito:

“SECTION 49. Fines and Penalties.

b)  Any person who violates Sec. 48, pars. (2) and (3), shall, upon conviction, be punished with a fine of not less than Three hundred pesos (P300.00) but not more than One thousand pesos (P1,000.00) or imprisonment of not less than one (1) day to not more than fifteen (15) days, or both;”

Sana ay nabigyan namin ng linaw ang iyong katanungan. Ang payong aming ibinigay ay base lamang sa mga impormasyon na iyong inilahad at maaaring magbago kung mababawasan o madaragdagan ang mga detalye ng iyong salaysay. 

Maraming salamat sa iyong patuloy na pagtitiwala.