Council defers release of landfill budget

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Council has deferred the release of P10-million budget for earthmoving works to stop the emission of methane gas and smoke at the Inayawan Sanitary Landfill.

In suspending the budget’s release, the councilors wanted the present and past landfill administrators to appear before them to brief them about the problem at the dumpsite.

Councilors Gerardo Carillo and Augustus Pe Jr. explained that the budget, which will be taken from the city’s calamity fund, will be for the rental of heavy equipment for earthmoving works.

Carillo and Pe, executive director of the City Disaster Coordinating Council and deputy mayor for landfill, respectively, said the earthmoving works will minimize the adverse effects of the emission of methane gas and smoke.

“Misamot lagi ang akong ubo niadtong miaging semana nga nasunog na usab ang mga basura. Dili man g’yod mawala ang aso diha ug lain ra ba kaayo og baho,” said a resident of the place.

Vice Mayor Michael Rama said former dumpsite administrators Norman del Mar and Randy Navarro should be called to brief the council on how they managed the landfill during their term.

The stock piles of garbage at the Inayawan dumpsite had already reached eight meters. About 450 tons of wastes are dumped there everyday.

The city and barangay officials failed to strictly implement Republic Act 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, which mandates the segregation of garbage from its source before being brought to the landfill. — Rene U. Borromeo/LPM(FREEMAN NEWS)