Before signing MOA with JBIC: City's environment team wants incinerator checked

To ensure that the city government's efforts will not go to waste, the committee on parks and playground, wildlife, ecology, and environmental management believes it should be ascertained first if the incinerator at the Inayawan landfill is fully operational before the city signs an agreement with Japan Bank for International Cooperation.

JBIC intends to partner with the city government in the utilization of the incinerator at the landfill that has been left idle in view of Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.

The committee gave its recommendation after looking into the letter of city planning and development coordinator Paul Villarete requesting the city council to issue a resolution allowing Mayor Tomas Osmeña to enter into an agreement with JBIC.

In its report, the committee cited a report of the Solid Waste Management Board saying that while all equipment composing the incinerator are intact, the board is not sure if these equipment are still functional considering that the incinerator has not been in use for a long time.

Likewise, the board passed a resolution requesting technical assistance from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to determine the functionality of the incinerator.

On February 9, 1990, the city government entered into Loan Agreement No. PHP113 with JBIC, the objectives of which were "to provide infrastructure in Metropolitan Cebu in order to cope with rapid urban population growth and to enhance its potential for further economic development consistent with National Development Plan."

The scope of work of such agreement was already completed including the construction of a public market, bus terminal, and sanitary landfill. -

Joeberth M. Ocao