CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga — Clark’s attempt to modernize its waste management system is now drawing mounting criticism, as questions emerge over whether the transition from an established system was executed without a comprehensive plan in place.
At the center of the controversy is Prime Waste Solutions Pampanga, Inc. (PWS), contracted by Clark Development Corporation (CDC) in October 2024 to run a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in Porac, Pampanga. The facility was intended to introduce a more sustainable approach to waste management in the fast-growing region.
While the project has been described as forward-looking, concerns have surfaced about its long-term viability, particularly the absence of a landfill component to handle residual waste. Environmental experts warn that without proper landfill infrastructure, the system could fail to fully resolve Clark’s waste disposal needs.
“MRF sounds good on paper but without proper landfill infrastructure, you’re just delaying the problem, not solving it,” one environmental consultant sai
Maria Theresa Doble, officer-in-charge of CENRO San Fernando, also stressed that an MRF cannot replace a sanitary landfill, citing Republic Act 9003, which requires that residual waste be disposed of within 24 hours.
Before PWS took over, Metro Clark Waste Management Corporation (MCWMC) managed Clark’s waste disposal for nearly 20 years, operating the Kalangitan sanitary landfill that served both government and private clients across Central Luzon. Though not without its critics, MCWMC was widely seen as maintaining a functioning and legally compliant system.
However, MCWMC’s contract expired on October 5, 2024, and was not renewed. CDC cited legal constraints under the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) Law, while the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) pointed to permitting and authority-to-operate issues. Observers say the sudden transition has led to operational gaps and challenges under the new arrangement.
“We’re not saying Metro Clark was without flaws,” said a local official who requested anonymity.
“But they had infrastructure in place. What we have now feels like a work in progress — and people are feeling the growing pains,” the official added.
Environmental groups have also raised concerns over the Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) granted to PWS by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Region III Environmental Management Bureau. Questions have been raised about whether the necessary public consultations and approvals — including Letters of No Objection (LONO) from affected local governments — were properly secured before the ECC was issued.
Adding to public unease, videos circulating online appear to show wastewater discharge and localized flooding near the Porac facility. While these claims remain unverified, and the DENR has yet to issue an official statement, the images have fueled further concern about the facility’s environmental safeguards.
Lawmakers, Civic Groups Push for Congressional Probe
In response to the growing controversy, Pampanga 3rd District Rep. Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr. has reportedly called for a congressional investigation into the transition, including the ECC issuance process and national agency oversight. Advocacy groups are also urging Senator Lito Lapid, who hails from Pampanga and has a record of environmental advocacy, to look into the matter.
“It’s not about which contractor was chosen,” said one civic group, noting that “It’s about ensuring that the system in place serves public interest and environmental safety.”
The situation in Clark has reignited broader debates about how major public service transitions are managed, especially when dealing with critical infrastructure such as waste management. While modernization remains the objective, critics argue that the shift should have been more deliberate, inclusive, and better coordinated to avoid disruptions.
As PWS continues to scale up operations, the experience is being closely watched as a test case for how government agencies manage high-stakes transitions in essential services — and whether public welfare and environmental protection remain at the core of those decisions.
PHOTO CAPTION: MOON CRATERS? NO! IT’S BARANGAY PLANAS ROADWAY. A portion of the roadway along Purok 1 in Barangay Planas, Porac, Pampanga, which is under the SCTEX tunnel, had been observed with road craters amid the passing of heavy garbage trucks. The Purok 1 roadway had been slowly eroding due to the heavy trucks hauling residual wastes to the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) of the Prime Waste Solutions. Temporary solutions are being made to fill up the depressions or road craters with soil only to be destroyed again by the heavy trucks.
