A landfill and a golf course: Can they go together?

MANILA, Philippines –  This is what a group of companies wants to develop in a project that aims to promote ecology-friendly industrial/tourist park in San Jose del Monte (SJDM), Bulacan.

Raymund B. Puyat, president of Vicente G. Puyat (VGP) Group of Companies, said building a golf course side by side with a landfill is now possible with the use of a well engineered sanitation technology.

“Not all landfills are dirty and detrimental to the environment. We are introducing a different thing in our project,” Puyat said.

Contrary to what critics claim, the VGP aims to develop a golf course and a landfill that complement each other, he explained, allaying fears of residents that the landfill would pollute their surroundings.

He said the landfill they are building could even be converted into a renewable energy like electricity and is safe because it is planned properly applying modern technology.

“The VGP Group has a long term plan for its properties in SJDM. Totalling 1,000 hectares, these parcels of land are located in prime areas of the city, and we have studied the best way in which these may enhance the development of SJDM.”

Puyat said the golf course and the landfill in the company’s Manila Newtown property are being built for two reasons – to create awareness about the ecology-friendly land and to push the SJDM’s industrialization.

He added that the VGP plans to build a wake board park to encourage tourists, both local and foreign, to visit SJDM, and with the construction of the park, the firm will also build a hotel to attract and accommodate tourists.

He said the group has also started planting organically grown vegetables to promote good nutrition and food sufficiency program.

With these developments, we want to invite investors in our economic zone property and generate jobs for thousands of Bulakenos, Puyat said.

Meanwhile, SJDM Mayor Reynaldo San Pedro called on residents to give a chance to the building of the landfill and see its results first before criticizing it.

San Pedro said the landfill would be a big help to the sanitation of the city as his government used to have a problem on where to dump its garbage.