In Negros Oriental: Most LGUs have no solid waste mgt plan yet

CEBU, Philippines — Most local government units in Negros Oriental have yet to come up with a ten-year solid waste management plan and dumpsite’s safe closure and rehabilitation plan (SCRP) for 2018 up to 2028.

This developed as 19 LGUs from Negros Oriental and Siquijor provinces are attending a 5-day workshop on how to finalize their respective SCRPs, conducted by the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) in Region 7 from August 13-17, 2018 with 19 LGUs attending, six of them from the province of Siquijor.

Of the 19 LGUs, six from Siquijor province were able to present their respective SCRP, however, five of them succeeded in compliance — towns of Enrique Villanueva, San Juan, Larena, Siquijor, and Lazi — while the SCRP of the town of Maria is in the final stage of preparation.

From Negros Oriental, only Dumaguete City was able to present the SCRP, while Basay, Manjuyod, Canlaon City, Guihulngan City, Vallehermoso, Sta. Catalina and Valencia were able to submit drafts of their respective SCRPs. Sibulan, Zamboanguita, Bacong and Siaton have yet to submit their drafts of SCRPs, while that of Mabinay was returned.

Dumaguete City Environment and Natural Resources officer (ENRO) Chelvier Patrimonio presented at the workshop the initial stage of the city’s SCRP and that clearing operation have started.

She said the city is fortunate to have gotten more than P8 million in financial assistance from DENR to fund the SCRP which is pegged at P17 million. Included in the rehabilitation component is the installation of monitoring wells, construction of a P7-million Material Recovery Facility (MRF) and the Sanitary Landfill, among others.

Patrimonio said the open garbage dumpsite will definitely be closed within the year especially when the assistance from DENR will be downloaded.

Under the closure plan the whole dumpsite area will be fenced and a five-meter setback will be observed from the dike of Banica river and from the road, she pointed out.