Landfill to share real-time data to city

CEBU, Philippines — A real-time data sharing system between a private landfill and the Cebu City government will be put in place soon to avoid another garbage anomaly in the city.

Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CCENRO) officer-in-charge Reymar Hijara said the Prime Integrated Waste Solutions, Inc. (PWS), which operates the Binaliw Landfill, is setting up a system that automatically records and shares data to the city government every time a city-owned or barangay-owned garbage truck dumps in the facility.

“They are setting up real-time data sharing ang atong landfill (PWS)…Meaning every time naay mo-dump ngadto nga garbage trucks nato from the city and the barangays, automatic na mo-record, mo-register na sa City Hall kun pila na ilang gilabay,” Hijara said.

A separate system that records the segregated waste in the modern material recovery facility (MRF) will also be put in place.

“Naghimo pud ta og system nga gi segregate nila nga waste diha sa ilang gisugdan nga MRF, naa pud tay recording ana puhon…Hopefully, real time pud na siya,” Hijara said.

Hijara, however, said that the recording and monitoring system are still subject to some processes.

“Padulong ta diha…pero dili gyud na siya ma-instant…Ang implementation diha naa gyud na siyang mga proseso nga sundon and we will expect nga naa pud na siyay mga hiccups, mga road blocks pero padong ta diha,” Hijara added.

Hijara is hopeful that the system will prevent another garbage mess.

“Mao na atong gusto, kay sayang kaayo kwarta adto lang sa basura and much worse, makawat ra,” he said.

Councilor Nestor Archival welcomes the new development. He said the segregation system is very important because aside from making the city cleaner, it is also cost-efficient.

“Mao nay usa sa importante kay ang akong punto karon, kasagaran sa atong waste, wala gi segregate…derecho labay ra sad, unya pagbayad nato tinibuok…Gawas nga atong i-follow ang balaod, atong tan-awn unsay sakto, kay kung ato gud na’ng  i-segregate unya katong ubang recycled buhaton as livelihood sa mga walay mga trabaho, unya katong mga biodegradable imong ma compost, ma less gyud na ang landfill nga waste nga i-labay, manaog gyud na ang cost,” Archival explained.

According to Archival, the city government is setting aside around P400 million just for waste disposal.

“Sauna, mamonitor man, pero ang nahitabo, pilay natimbang didto, dili maoy ilang gi-report…Kon ing-ani nga case karon nga naay real-time, nay klaro nga documentation, I think ma minimize na na (padding of amount), kon dili man gani ma eliminate,” Archival added.

Earlier, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)-7 filed plunder cases against eight former and incumbent officials of the Cebu City government and several other private individuals due to alleged anomalous garbage collection contract.

Named respondents were former city administrator and lawyer Floro Casas Jr., former Department of Public Services (DPS) chief and lawyer John Jigo Dacua, and Cebu Environmental Sanitation and Enforcement Team head and former garbage disposal unit in-charge Grace Luardo-Silva, City Treasurer Mare Vae Fernandez and DPS inspectors Allen Omlero Ceballos and Romelito Asinjo Datan, General Services Office inspectors Mark Abarquez Ugbinar and Jerome Visarra Ornopia.

They were also charged with malversation of public funds, graft and corruption and violation of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas.

There were also private individuals from Docast Construction and JJ & J Construction and General Supply included in the case.

Archival, who was one with then Vice Mayor Michael Rama is pushing for the NBI investigation, said he has not heard anything about it since the cases were filed.

“Wala pa gyud (update) Wala gyuy klaro…Ubang kaso nuon...Kato P400 million, naa pa toy laing problema nga panghitabo, ambot kon na report ba kaha to,” Archival said. — (FREEMAN)