Metro mayors scramble for ways to handle garbage disposal

With the hiatus in Metro garbage disposal, heads of local governments are scrambling for ways to handle the problem in their jurisdictions.

So far, most of the mayors of the 17 cities and municipalities have remained silent about their course of action for one reason or another.

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Jejomar Binay told reporters the other day that one of the mayors has started diggings in his area for the dumping of garbage.

However, most of the LGUs are sharing dumpsites made available by their counterparts.

Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnesdi said his municipality is sharing a site with another LGU but declined to say which.

MMDA Assistant General Manager for Operations Rogelio Uranza earlier revealed a plan by Muntinlupa to share a site with Caloocan City.

However, Caloocan has indicated that it does not have an available disposal site.

Makati City’s garbage collected by contractors were placed in sacks and stored in an open lot made available by another LGU. The garbage inside the sacks are sprayed with chemicals to prevent foul odor.

Some LGUs are said to be ready to implement the same method to cope with the current situation.

In Mandaluyong, Binay reported that the city is using some machines to handle some of the garbage generated.

The rest of the garbage though are dumped in an open dumpsite near the populated area of Barangay Welfareville.

Mandaluyong was supposed to benefit from the Semirara, Antique project of the government before a temporary restraining order was issued.

The proponent of the project indicated that it was to use a wharf on the Pasig River directly across Rockwell Center in Makati City as a transfer station for the garbage of Mandaluyong and nearby LGUs.

In San Juan, the town council has agreed to pass a resolution to establish transfer stations in each of the 21 barangays.

Councilor Rolando Bernardo, chairperson of the municipality’s Solid Waste Management and Clean and Green program, said the resolution would be passed and implemented.

The council has also agreed to revise the contract of their garbage contractor to increase the number of garbage trucks used and cope with the current situation.

The two contractors, REN and Green Line Transport, have increased their trucks from 14 to 27.

Binay reiterated that there is presently no garbage crisis in Metro Manila.

"There must not be a sweeping indictment. Pagtulung-tulungan natin para hindi tayo umabot sa crisis," Binay said. – Marvin Sy