Garbage ruckus now in hands of DENR–VM
THE petition of some 700 residents of Barangay Bonuan Boquig protesting the dumping of garbage extracted from the dumpsite to two private lots near their homes is now in the hands of the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
This was disclosed by Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez who as acting mayor of Dagupan last week ordered the City Waste Management Division (WMD) to bring the extracted garbage used as landfill materials in the properties of Pedro Gonzales, barangay chairman of adjacent Bonuan Binloc, and Beatriz Reyes back to the dumpsite.
The order was not carried out despite Fernandez’s directive to release P250,000 in city funds for the transfer.
“The ball is now in the hands of the EMB which was furnished with the petition signed by the 700 residents of Bonuan Boquig,” Fernandez said as she revealed she has cancelled the outlay to be used for other programs and projects.
In a letter to Fernandez, Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Leduina ruled that the dumping of extracted garbage on two private lots is a violation of the Ecological and Solid Waste Management Act or Republic Act 9003.
The letter was read before the regular session last Monday of the Sangguniang Panlungsod, which the vice mayor chairs.
“Palagay ko, ang director ng DENR ang siyang bahala na sakaso at ang sabi nila paiimbitahan daw ang mga taong may kinalaman,” Fernandez said.
Meanwhile, Rodolfo de Ocampo, environmental management officer of DENR, confirmed that the transport and dumping of extracted garbage requires an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC), which the city of Dagupan never secured.
He said the dumping of extracted garbage in any other place is prohibited by DENR because there cannot be two or more dumpsites in one city or town.
A radio report said that even Mayor Benjamin Lim admitted that during the last part of his second term, some 500-truck loads of garbage were taken out by a contractor from the dumpsite, but did not indicate whether that was covered by an ECC.
It is not known if the mayor was referring to the transfer of garbage to a lot in San Jacinto near a river owned by businessman George Li.
Share your Comments or Reactions
Powered by Facebook Comments
