THE Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) in Dagupn City want the Waste to Worth (W2W) project to be implemented as soon as possible while a member of Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) recommended the hauling of the city’s garbage to the sanitary landfill either in Urdaneta City or Capas, Tarlac.

These were the two initial recommendations heard by the Sangguniang Panlungsod’s committees on environment and public health at the public hearing after Councilor Jose Tamayo asked resource persons for recommendations for a long-term solution to Dagupan’s garbage woes after its dumpsite was closed by DENR.

The ABC forwarded its resolution to the two committees reiterating its previous call on Mayor Brian Lim to implement the joint venture agreement signed by the then Mayor Belen Fernandez with Sure Global W2WI Ltd.

Camilo Cariño, a member of the team of the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) monitoring the compliance of LGU Dagupan to its 21-point commitment to rehabilitate the closed dumpsite in Bonuan, recommended the hauling of garbage as he admitted he was not familiar with the Waste to Worth (W2W) project.

In reaction, Bernard Cabison, head of the Waste Management Division (WMD), said negotiations are ongoing on for Dagupan to bring its garbage to either Urdaneta or Capas, Tarlac as he admitted that waste segregation is only a short-term solution to the problem of garbage.

Cabison, however, added his office is pushing for the strict implementation of the “No segregation, No collection policy” because the closed dumpsite only accepts residual wastes.

But he lamented that many households are not complying and continue dumping mixed wastes or unsegregated wastes outside their homes and are, therefore, not collected by waste collectors.

He said notices of violations are regularly issued to barangays for not complying with the “No segregation, No collection policy”.

Cabison revealed that the city’s plan to rehabilitate the dumpsite will include the fencing of the whole area, covering of the exposed garbage with soil, sand and gravel, construction of a drainage canal, installation of an exhaust pipe that will enable the methane gas underneath the piles of garbage to escape in the air and others. However, he admitted that none of these measures have so far been started.

The absence of the city legal officer at the committee hearing prompted the committee to hold another hearing on the issue next month. (Leonardo Micua)

 

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