Mere opposition to sanitary landfill won’t cut it

here should be no question in anyone’s mind that our communities’ best alternative to an efficient waste management disposal is to construct a sanitary landfill. In fact, it’s the only remaining viable technology that the country has provided under R.A. 9003.

The only other choice is to maintain open dumpsites, build more Smokey Mountains across the country. This in effect is what the opposition to the construction of a sanitary landfill in Bayambang will lead to. But is this what the oppositors want? We seriously doubt it.

They have expressed their opposition but they have not presented any other alternative. And they won’t because they know that the only alternative left is in fact sanitary landfill. Meanwhile, Bayambang and all towns in Pangasinan will have to contend with the diseases and deadly pollution spawned by present open dumpsites, which by the way are already illegal.

What the oppositors should do instead is to articulate a demand for the creation of the municipal solid waste management board which ensures participation of the barangay councils, the youth sector, recycling industry, the NGOs  through designated representatives, setting up of higher standards and criteria for choosing the contractor and manager for the sanitary landfill, greater participation of the communities in the site selection aided by technical experts, sustained education program of community stakeholders on the operation and management of the  sanitary landfill and  greater transparency in the preparation of terms and signing of contract.

By simply opposing for the sake of opposing is doing the community a great disservice. The oppositors today are no better than the corrupt politicians and businessmen out to make easy bucks at the expense of the people for they are not helping to empower the communities on how to protect and fend for themselves over the next decades.

So, the opposition to the sanitary landfill would do well not by shouting hoarse their loud voices of protests and condemnation but by articulating prudent and pragmatic approach to empowering the communities because there are only two choices left: the sanitary landfill or another Smokey Mountain.

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