P10M set aside to clear landfill

CEBU, Philippines —  The Cebu City Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) will soon bid out P10-million worth of clearing project in the service area of the controversial landfill in Barangay Inayawan.

Randy Navarro, Executive Assistant to the mayor for special projects, told The FREEMAN that they will hire contractor to conduct the clearing operation in a period of four months.

He said the program of works and estimates (POWE) is now with the Department of Engineering and Public Works, being the office tasked to formulate conditions for the contract.

The POWE would also provide detailed description about the project.

“Ang suggestion sa engineering nga i-service siya for clearing operation but project-based na siya, dili na rental scheme. Sa una rental scheme man to akoa, mao ng gi-project-based, ang component naa’y equipment,” Navarro said.

He added that they have initially estimated the project to cost P10 million as advised by Nida Cabrera, the incoming Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CCENRO) head.

In a separate interview, Cabrera said the P10 million will be sourced out under the city’s rehabilitation fund.

To recall, the city government has set aside P55 million for the rehabilitation of the landfill.

Navarro said the P10 million is intended to clear at least 22,000 cubic meters or 7, 769 tons of trash in the service area.

He said the clearing operation is in preparation of the establishment of a waste to energy (WTE) facility in the landfill. The WTE facility will process the trash stored in the landfill.

“Yes, preparation na sa WTE facility nga ibutang sa landfill,” Navarro said.

Cabrera also said the clearing operation will remove the trash piled in the leachate pond.

Navarro projected that the clearing operation will begin by July.

However, BAC head Ronaldo Malacora said he has not yet received the documents for the P10-million project.

The CCENRO and the Solid Waste Management Board (SWMB) are now re-evaluating the proposals of different companies for the establishment of a WTE facility.

Cabrera prefers not to mention these companies for they are already formulating the terms of reference for the WTE facility.

Putting up a WTE facility in the controversial landfill was part of the rehabilitation measures of the city government.

Since the court shut down the landfill in December 15, 2016, the city government is directed to rehabilitate the facility. (FREEMAN)