CCENRO wants landfill monitoring team revived

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CCENRO) is asking the Environmental Management Bureau-7 to reconvene the Multipartite Monitoring Team (MMT) to review the closure and rehabilitation plan of Inayawan Sanitary Landfill.

CCENRO head Ma. Nida Cabrera said there is a need to convene the MMT to determine what is need to be done.

Cabrera said her office has already sent the request to EMB-7 but received no response as of yesterday. The monitoring team was dissolved when former Department of Environment and Natural Resources secretary Gina Lopez prohibited EMB-7 from heading it.

Cabrera said the city government needs the assistance of EMB-7 for the rehabilitation of the landfill. MMT is composed of representatives from EMB-7 and the Technical Working Group (TWG) of CCENRO.

Cabrera said it is proper for them to allow MMT to evaluate the recommendations made by the consultant, Full Advantage Philippines Inc. The MMT opinion is needed before the plan will be submitted to the City Council for further deliberation and approval.

The recommendation was to convert the landfill into an eco-industrial area, sports hub, eco-park and terminals. The consultant came up with the three recommendations after a study on the feasibility of the above mentioned projects.

At present, CCENRO is doing repair works of the drainage system of the landfill.

Cabrera said that the clogged drainage is preventing leachate from flowing directly into the leachate pond.

According to Cabrera, the city is under obligation to rehabilitate the landfill despite ownership issue involving the property.

The city government through Mayor Tomas Osmeña earlier filed an adverse claim before the Registry of Deeds after knowing that the landfill was claimed by a private individual. (FREEMAN)