City told to update waste management plan

CEBU, Philippines —  The Cebu City government should update its 10-year Solid Waste Management Plan because not doing so may result in rising issues concerning the government, the environment, and sanitation, the Commission on Audit said in its February 19 Audit Observation Report.

COA noted that the city has not updated its ecological solid waste management plan, which reportedly defeats responsive governance in the implementation of the Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.

“In order to effectively and efficiently address its solid waste management problems, we recommend that the City Solid Waste Management Board update yearly its Solid Waste Management Plan which shall be consistent with the National Solid Waste Management Framework for review and approval by the government agencies concerned as mandated by law,” reads portion of the AOM.

The AOM is signed by State Auditor V Maria Daisy Bercede and State Auditor IV Lita Lamparas.

The purpose of the Local Government Solid Waste Management Plan (LGSWMP) is to establish in a long term environmentally safe transformative steps to managing sanitary landfills and to closing open dumpsites for a sustainable garbage collection and disposal system subject to specific targets in a given timeframe.

COA said the city should update the plan since it is needed for the comprehensive monitoring on the waste generation, rates, waste projection and the progress made in the implementation of the targets anchored on the re-use, recycle, and composting of wastes.

COA said the 10-year plan must hold approval from the National Solid Waste Management Commission as required by law.

Without the updated plan, the city’s progress may remain-off track and may not be sustainable, viable and effective, COA said.

Ma. Nida Cabrera, head of the Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO), said the city has not been remiss with its duties and responsibilities.

She said CENRO has already submitted a copy of the city’s 10-year plan to the City Council weeks ago.

CENRO also needs to defend the master plan before other agencies.

“Mo-adto pa ko sa Manila para mo-defend sa 10-year plan adto sa EMB, DENR (I will have to go to Manila to defend the 10-year plan before EMB, DENR,” she said.

Cabrera explained that they submitted the plan to the Environmental Management Bureau-7 in December 2016 yet.

However, the bureau returned it to the city for corrections while also waiting for the city’s consultant preparing for the final Closure and Rehabilitation plan of the Inayawan Sanitary Landfill.

Cabrera said she hopes that the city’s 10-year plan will be approved next month. —  JMO (FREEMAN)