Private firm to operate landfill in Compostela

CEBU, Philippines - Governor Gwendolyn Garcia has given her go signal for a private company to operate a sanitary landfill in the municipality of Compostela even in the absence of the town’s officials.

Garcia gave her nod following a meeting with Mabuhay Cebu Garbage Management, Inc., barangay captains in the town, chairmen of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK), and the town’s caretaker, Department of Interior and Local Government 7 Director Pedro Noval Jr.

Proper solid waste management is a major problem in the town.

Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator Carmelo Tejero said MCGM proposed the project during the term of former Compostela mayor Ritchie Wagas for which a public hearing was conducted. The sanitary landfill is located in Barangays Cogon and Cambayog.

One issue discussed during the meeting was the so-called “tipping fee” considering that there is no municipal council to approve the same.

Provincial legal officer Marino Martinquilla said, however, that the setting of tipping fee is not within the power of the municipal council. He said the local chief executive can actually invoke the general welfare clause as provided in the Local Government Code.

Tejero said MCGM operates the same sanitary landfill at P700 per tons in the municipality of Consolacion.

MCGM President Bernadette Nielo initially said garbage dumped in their project in Manila is pegged at P285 per cubic meter, but they can reportedly offer Compostela a rate of P500 per metric ton. With Garcia’s intervention, the municipality will now pay only P200 per metric ton to MCGM.

Garcia encouraged all barangays to avail of the financial assistance to establish a material recovery facility (MRF) wherein the Capitol is providing P50,000 each.

Of the 17 barangays in Compostela, Provincial Planning and Development Officer, Engr. Adolfo Quiroga said only nine barangays have availed of the financial assistance.

Noval said it would be best if all barangays have the MRF so that the municipality will only collect lesser residual waste to be dumped in the sanitary landfill, although Nielo said the landfill would accept unsegregated waste.

Noval said the lesser waste to be dumped in the landfill, the lesser the municipality to pay for tipping fee. Noval emphasized that with the concept of MRF, the barangays shall earn from the recyclable items and only residual waste shall go to the dumping site. (FREEMAN)