Sanitary landfill proposal Malaysian firm's offer turned down

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama has rejected, upon the recommendation of his consultant, a Malaysian company’s offer to operate a sanitary landfill in the city for being violative of the provisions of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.

Rama has also turned down Berjaya Corporation’s invitation for a site visit and inspection of their sanitary landfill facilities in Malaysia.

Berhad which constructed the Bukit Tagar Sanitary Landfill in Malaysia earlier proposed to operate a similar facility in Cebu City.

Rama’s decision to reject the proposal was based on the recommendation of City Hall consultant on environment Lawyer Janeses Ponce because it violates the requirements of the Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.

“The undersigned recommended to set aside or to reject the proposal based on the requirements of RA 9003 which discourages sanitary landfills regardless of the technology employed,” Ponce said.

City Councilor Nida Cabrera, who already went to Malaysia for the site visit last November, said that adopting the proposal of Berjaya Corp. to develop a new sanitary landfill will be cost-efficient for the city government compared to other projects that seek to address the garbage problem of the city.

Cabrera said she saw how well the technology was used in the establishment and management of the landfill.

She said it was designed to meet international standards and has a full protective liner to protect the ground from leachate, or liquids from the landfill.

As far as the track record of the company is concerned, Cabrera said Berjaya Corp. Berhad is credible, saying they have also established three sanitary landfills in China.

Last year, Berjaya Corp. representatives met with Rama and the city’s Solid Waste Management Board to express their interest to develop a P1.35 billion sanitary landfill in the city.

Under the proposal, Berjaya Corp. Berhad will shoulder the capital expenditure to develop the landfill which is estimated at US$30 million or about P1.35 billion.

The City Government, on the other hand, will have to provide the 20 hectares needed for the landfill, as well as the requirements for the project that include the environmental compliance certificate.

But Ponce said the city will be tied down and will be facing financial burden in the long run.

The city will also have the difficulty of locating a hydrogeologically isolated site suitable for the proposed sanitary landfill.

“A site visit or site inspection would not serve any purpose at all unless and until the legal, financial and environmental issues are resolved,” Ponce said. — (FREEMAN)