Lawmakers Call for Congressional Probe into Dumpsite on Aeta Ancestral Land in Subic

MANILA, Philippines — Lawmakers have urged the Philippine Congress to investigate the establishment and prolonged operation of an illegal open dumpsite within the ancestral domain of an Aeta community in Subic, Zambales. The call came through House Resolution No. 1250, filed by Rep. Leila de Lima on July 30, directing the House Committee on Natural Resources, together with the Committee on Indigenous Cultural Communities and Indigenous Peoples, to conduct a joint inquiry into the matter.

The resolution seeks to identify which government agency permitted the dumpsite’s creation and allowed it to continue functioning in Sitio Tibag, Barangay Naugsol. It also mandates an assessment of the site's closure and rehabilitation plans, including scrutiny of the Subic local government’s request for P78 million to address the waste. The inquiry aims to clarify whether this budget would be used to remove the garbage entirely or merely cover it in place.

Rep. De Lima described the conversion of ancestral land into a dumpsite as a grave desecration. She emphasized the need to hold accountable those responsible for the environmental and cultural damage inflicted on the Aeta community. The dumpsite was reportedly established by the Subic local government in 2019, as documented in the GMA News and Public Affairs program "Ibinasurang Paraiso."

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) discovered the dumpsite operating in violation of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act in January 2022. Despite this, the site was only ordered closed in October 2025, with a cease-and-desist order issued on March 16, 2026, following protests from indigenous groups. De Lima highlighted that this delay raises concerns about the effectiveness of monitoring and enforcement by the DENR, the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), and the Subic government.

The prolonged dumping, which lasted seven years, involved unsegregated waste that contaminated the community’s primary water source and rendered the land unusable for approximately 100 Aeta farming families, according to the Naugsol Aeta Farmers Association. The resolution also calls for an examination of whether the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act’s requirement for free and prior informed consent was observed before the dumpsite was established.

This House inquiry follows a similar initiative in the Senate, where Senator Robin Padilla filed Senate Resolution 513 in mid-July, seeking an investigation into the same issue. Both legislative efforts aim to ensure accountability and to protect the rights and welfare of the indigenous community affected by the dumpsite.

The resolution underscores the need to evaluate the environmental and health impacts on the Aeta residents, the adequacy of the rehabilitation plan, and to recommend legislative measures to prevent similar violations in the future. The inquiry will also consider the extent to which the ancestral domain was respected and protected during the dumpsite’s operation.

As the investigation proceeds, the Subic local government’s plans and actions regarding the dumpsite’s closure and rehabilitation will be closely scrutinized, particularly the proposed P78 million budget. The outcome of the inquiry could influence policy reforms and enforcement mechanisms related to ancestral land protection and solid waste management in the Philippines.