ILOILO – Ideally, each municipality must have a sanitary landfill. Having one is mandated by Republic Act 9003 or the Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.
But not all municipalities have funds to establish a sanitary landfill.
“The long-term solution is to cluster the municipalities and select areas where we can put up the sanitary landfills for each clusters,” said Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr.
The clustering should be based on the municipalities’ geographical location, he added.
The province has 42 towns and one component city. They collectively produce some 230 tons of solid waste each day, according to the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO).
However, according to PENRO chief Atty. Arturo Cangrejo, only two are currently constructing sanitary landfills – Passi City and Lambunao town.
The challenge is that sanitary landfills are not yet “socially acceptable” in some municipalities, said Cangrejo.
“The original plan was clustering the towns per district. Some mayors agreed to allow sanitary landfills in their municipalities but residents of the areas where the sanitary landfills would be established expressed opposition,” said Cangrejo.
During a recent meeting with mayors and municipal environment and natural resources officers, Defensor also expressed concern over four towns – Oton, Leganes, Santa Barbara, and Pavia – that temporarily dump their garbage at Iloilo City’s sanitary landfill in Barangay Calajunan, Mandurriao district.
Time will come when Iloilo City’s sanitary landfill won’t be able to accommodate their garbage, said Defensor./PN
This problem is long overdue because the provincial government doesn’t think this problem as prime. But it is a prime. The problem is nobody push this project hard. Sanitary landfill must be establish every congressional district together with waste to energy project.
Maabot panahon matinud luanay na ang mga naga pungko sa provincial government nga a wala nila gin tagaan importansya ang ina nga problema. Kay mga lai lain ang ila mga gina isip nga wala man gid kaayohan. Dapat may team na sila nga gina pa study kong ano maayo sa waste sang syudad kag probinsya.