SC Asked to Strike Down Manila Ordinance Raising Garbage Fees

A petition has been filed before the Supreme Court of the Philippines seeking to nullify a Manila City ordinance that raised garbage collection fees by as much as 1,200 percent.

The petitioner, private citizen and educator John Barry Tayam, is also asking the High Court to issue a temporary restraining order (TRO) to stop the implementation of City Ordinance 9151 while the case is being heard.

Tayam warned that without immediate court intervention, businesses in Manila could suffer serious losses as they face the higher fees ahead of the February 13 deadline for business permit renewals.

He argued in his petition that the new rates could severely affect thousands of establishments, saying the burden of paying first and recovering the amounts later would be difficult and costly.

The ordinance was passed by the 13th Manila City Council in December 2025 under Vice Mayor Chi Atienza and signed into law by Mayor Isko Moreno.

Tayam described the increase as harmful to the city’s economic climate, claiming it could discourage investors from doing business in Manila.

Although he resides in Las Piñas City, Tayam invoked the “Doctrine of Transcendental Importance” in his petition, asking the court to relax technical rules on legal standing. He cited his frequent visits to Manila and personal observations of flooding problems linked to uncollected garbage.

City officials, however, defended the fee hike, saying it is needed to help Manila cope with financial challenges, including debts reportedly exceeding P10 billion.