TARLAC SANITARY LANDFILL CLOSURE OCT 2024; BAGUIO SURVEYS ALTERNATIVE SITE

August 2, 2024 Metro BLISTT

TRASH HAUL: Estimated P200-M spent yearly

BGUIO CITY

The City General Service Office (GSO) reported that it cost local tax payers some P227.8 million in hauling thrash in 2023 and for the first six months this year. And GSO is looking for an alternative dumping site for waste as the sanitary landfill of Metro Clark Waste Management Corporation (MCWMC) located in Capas, Tarlac which will be closed in October 2024. Sources said GSO is evaluating two landfill in Floridablanca Enviro Corporation (FEC) in
Floridablanca Pampanga and the new Material Recovery Facility (MRF) in Porac Pampanga for possible dumping site.

Based on obtained data, the city spent some P104,358,310 million for hauling, P47,413,730 million for the tipping fee, for a total of P151,772,040 million for the 72,944.20 tons of trash collected in 2023. For the first semester of
2024, the GSO hauled 36,082.82 tons of trash at 200 tons average per day. And as of June, the city paid P23,453,833 million for the tipping fees and P52,608,751.56 million for the hauling fee, totaling P 76,062,584.56 million. The tipping fee is the payment on the landfill pegged at P650 per ton and P1,458 per ton as hauling fee, respectively.

Engineer Emmil-Bert P. Floresca, Public Services Officer of the Solid-Waste Management Division, “Our system in the city the trucks will collect from the collection points, and then they will tap our transportation located at Dontogan, then we have a partnership with a private contractor for hauling to Capaz Tarlac,” he explained. Moreover, Mayor Benjamin Magalong, announced the City of Baguio will abandon the idea of the Waste-to Energy (WTE) project during a recent ll forum on waste resources that talks about the impact of WTE on health and environment.

However, the city is pursuing an organic composting project and a new garbage collection scheme that promotes zero waste and segregation of garbage. Based on Republic Act No. 9003 known as Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, the Local Government Unit is mandated to achieve 25 percent of waste reduction. Through the established integrated solid waste management plan for 10 years based on reduce, reuse, and recycle, LGUs must ensure the protection of public health and the environment.

As this developed, the city continues strict implementation of prohibiting business establishments the use of plastic and styrofoam especially in the city market under Ordinance Number 35, series of 2017. Meanwhile, the Committee on Health and Sanitation, Ecology and Environmental Protection of city council held a public consultation on Ordinance Number 35, series of 2017, and Ordinance Number 26, series of 2007, which is promoting the use of paper bags.

In Barangay Session-Governor Pack Road, Barangay Chairman Zenaida Monteclaro said that discipline is a must for everyone especially when disposong their garbage. “It’s a discipline of the person already. You can see that in the personality of the people. If the people have concerns in the community, they will not throw their trash anywhere.” she said. Moreover, even though the barangay provides trash bins for garbage there are still citizens who violate the city ordinance causing problems to the barangay , the barangay official added. Under the City Ordinance No. 59 of 2020 or the City’s Anti-Littering Ordinance.,barangays are mandated to issue memos to those who violate and issue fines of P1,000.00 up to P5,000. The public is urged to follow strictly waste disposal protocols.

Ma. Christina C. Pendre/UC-Intern