THE use of the more than 290,000 square meter lot bought by the Dagupan City government in Barangay Awai in San Jacinto was suggested as an alternative location for the implementation of Waste to Worth (W2W) projects in lieu of the Barangay Bonuan Binloc in Dagupan City.

The alternative was broached by Councilor Jose Netu Tamayo during the special session of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) on December 5 after being apprised of a legal obstacle posed by the possible rejection of the project by residents in the area.

Tamayo suggested the utilization of the land in San  Jacinto to City Administrator Alan Dale Zarate, which the latter admitted as a “good suggestion” although he clarified that there are legal and technical issues surrounding the property that need to be ironed out yet.

The Awai property was bought during the administration of the then Mayor Benjamin Lim from Jose Mariano Cuña in March 2004 for P16 million.

The transfer of the land title in Barangay Awai, however, was aborted after the Department of Agrarian Reform Arbitration Board (DARAB) stopped the sale because of a case for redemption filed by the tenants versus the original owners of the property filed before The Department of Agrarian Reform.

 “We should not lose the chance to have this project. That is why I am proposing that the Awai property be included as among the places to be considered as its site,” Tamayo told The PUNCH in an interview.

He said despite the order of the DAR,  Awai property technically is still owned by the Dagupan City government by virtue of the tax declarations of the property in the name of the Dagupan City government. It can be explored as an alternate site for the project.

Zarate agreed to bring up the suggestion to the city mayor once the status of the land in Baranay Awai is resolved with finality.

Meanwhile, Tamayo reminded city officials that  if Dagupan will not comply with the terms of the W2W project, the National Solid Waste Management Commission (SWMC) will file a case against officials of Dagupan for violation of RA 9003 for still using an open dumpsite.
(Leonardo Micua)        

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