Talisay allows Cebu City to use its sanitary landfill

CEBU, Philippines - Talisay City has allowed Cebu City to temporarily dump garbage in Barangay Tapul after the permanent closure of the Inayawan sanitary landfill.

The Talisay City-operated sanitary landfill, which has been operational since 2005 and has an area of more than two hectares, is adjacent to the Mananga Watershed.

The facility accepts waste from Talisay City and the nearby municipality of Minglanilla.

Cebu City Solid Waste Management Board Chairman Jade Ponce said Talisay Mayor Johnny De los Reyes and Mayor Michael Rama already made an initial agreement prior to the closure of the Inayawan sanitary landfill last January 15.

“In principle, they (De los Reyes and Rama) agreed that… (Cebu) City will be allowed to dispose certain tons (of garbage) in their landfill,” Ponce said.

He said the agreement would be an advantage to Talisay since it would generate revenue from the tipping fee Cebu City would be paying for its garbage.

“The good thing is we are helping our fellow local government unit kay maka-additional income man sila nato by helping us in solving our garbage woes,” Ponce said.

Cebu City closed the 15-hectare Inayawan facility, which had been in operation for the past 15 years, because it has reached its lifespan and continued use already pose hazard to public health and the environment. 

Ponce said they are still negotiating with Talisay as to the amount for the tipping fees and the allowable volume of garbage from Cebu City to be disposed in Tapul.

He said they will lobby for at least 50 tons of garbage a day, to be increased in the later months to 100 tons.

Closure of the Inayawan landfill has affected garbage disposal especially in Cebu City’s south district barangays.

Ponce said they are looking for solutions to address the concerns of the barangays, considering also the distance to and from the city’s accredited landfill in in Pulpogan, Consolacion town.

He said the city would be renting five 10-wheeler trucks to help the barangays in their daily collection of garbage for one month while unserviceable barangay dump trucks are still being repaired.

Ponce pointed out that it is the obligation of the barangays to collect garbage while the city is only tasked to collect residual wastes, as provided for under Republic Act 9003 (Solid Waste Management Act).

“We are giving them 30 days to prepare and upgrade their garbage trucks para dili ra sila magsalig sa city. All these things are temporary until we find the final solution,” he said. —/RHM (FREEMAN)