Kalunasan folk against sanitary landfill in area

CEBU - The barangay officials and residents of Kalunasan have expressed opposition to the planned sanitary landfill even if Mayor Tomas Osmeña is offering them projects.

Kalunasan barangay captain Edelito Mabano said all of his barangay councilmen and many of the barangay residents have already aired their opposition to the plan of the mayor.

“Bisan pa tingali og one hundred million pesos pa ang ihatag nga proyekto sa among barangay dili g’yod mi mosugot. Kun madayon g’yod nga anhi na sa Kalunasan ang labayanan og basura, wala na g’yoy development diri sa among barangay,” said Mabano.

Another resident of the barangay said that once the landfill would be opened, this would also mean squatters would be trooping to the place to set up their dwelling and earn a living as scavengers.

Mabano said that he had received many calls from his constituents since news about the plan of Osmeña to put up a landfill in his barangay came out.

The proposed landfill is located a few meters from the present Cebu City Jail.

“Dili g’yod kuno sila mosugot nga anhi himoa ang landfill kay baho g’yod kuno kaayo,” Mabano said, quoting the complaints of the residents of Ramman Realty and San Jose Ville subdivisions.

Other ongoing subdivision projects in barangay Kalunasan are the River Valley and Lite Shipping, but Mabano believes that those other land developers who are planning to construct subdivisions in their barangay will no longer pursue their intention if the sanitary landfill would be set up there.

Mabano said Kalunasan has about 60,000 residents and a barangay assembly is set on October 5 to discuss important matters, including the plan to construct a landfill in their place.

Osmeña has proposed that Kalunasan be the new site of a sanitary landfill as the one in Inayawan is already full.

About 400 to 500 tons of garbage are collected from different places of the city and brought to the sanitary landfill daily.

“Wala g’yod tingali’y motugot uy nga anhi sa among barangay himoa ang landfill kay baho man g’yod kaayo na. Madaut ang nindot kaayo namo nga environment,” Mabano said.

Osmeña said his proposal is a long-term project, but as of now the city is already preparing for the time when the 15-hectare Inayawan sanitary landfill can no longer be used.

The mayor earlier said that the mango growers in Kalunasan will benefit because a farm-to-market road would be built to transport their products to the market aside from giving the people priority livelihood projects. – Rene U. Borromeo/NLQ (THE FREEMAN)