CEBU, Philippines - President Benigno S. Aquino III has commended Consolacion town for establishing a sanitary landfill, an initiative that he described as significant now that the country is facing threats of climate change and other environmental challenges.
In his message, a copy of which was furnished to The FREEMAN, Aquino congratulated the town for the Consolacion Sanitary Landfill, Methane Recovery and Power Generation Facility, as well as the Manila-based Asian Energy Systems Corporation for helping make the project happen.
"The issue of proper waste management is a huge responsibility for the government, in tandem with other sectors. This is even more significant now, as we face climate change and other environmental challenges," the President's message reads.
Aquino said the landfill provides an alternative to traditional waste-management solutions and, additionally, helps generate employment. He said the facility complements the objective of his administration for sustainable development and equitable progress.
"We have embarked on a journey of transformation, to establish good government, to implement much-needed reforms, and to finally put the Filipino people on top of the national agenda. This is a huge task, and no individual can do this alone," Aquino said.
The state-of-the-art sanitary landfill in Consolacion, the first in Cebu, is seen to solve for a significant period of time the garbage problem of Metro Cebu. It was inaugurated last December in Barangay Polog in Consolacion town.
The 6.9-hectare landfill is being developed by Asian Energy Systems Corporation. The energy company has welcomed other cities and towns within Metro Cebu, as well as private companies, to use the facility.
Those who wish to use the facility will have to pay specific Tipping Fee to Asian Energy Systems Corporation.
The firm has assured safety and said the facility has complied with the necessary regulations and guidelines stipulated in Section 59 of Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.
A Memorandum of Agreement was signed between AEC and the Municipality of Consolacion last December wherein they agreed on a joint cooperation and collaboration to ensure the success of the establishment and operation of the facility.
Earlier, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia lauded the joint cooperation of the Municipality of Consolacion and Asian Energy systems Corporation for the establishment of the sanitary landfill.
Garcia said the provincial government had wanted to establish a similar facility but never came to putting it up because of problems.
Garcia said the establishment of the facility in Consolacion is the answer to the problem of every local government unit in Cebu province.
Metro Cebu mayors agreed to focus their discussion on the garbage problem. Cebu City officials, for one, are getting worried about the problem because it can no longer dump as much garbage as it wants at the Inayawan sanitary landfill because the dump has already exceeded its lifespan.
Built by Japanese experts in 1988, it became full in 2003. At the moment, Cebu City is eyeing the sanitary landfill in Consolacion as a temporary solution to the problem.
Dumping all the garbage generated by the entire Cebu City in Consolacion will cost the city government over P289,000 a day at P100-million a year and not P3.5 million a day or P1 billion a year as earlier reported. (FREEMAN NEWS)