MMDA pushes own offshore landfill plan

Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. said yesterday that he is pushing for another offshore landfill project to be funded by a local proponent even if a similar project is being mulled by the Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Abalos clarified that although the project he is considering is similar with the proposed project of DENR Secretary Heherson Alvarez, they are in no way related.

This developed as Alvarez said the public would be duly consulted on his plan to put up a sanitary landfill on a $250-million reclamation project in Manila Bay off Navotas for Metro Manila’s refuse.

"We assure the public that all environment projects, particularly those that deal with solid waste management, will go through all legal process," said Alvarez. "Also, all the concerned sectors and affected communities would be consulted in considering the various options."

Alvarez revealed that the DENR, through its corporate arm, the National Resources and Development Corp. (NRDC), has been holding talks with Japanese corporations Mitsui and Mitsubishi, the main proponents of the project which plans to reclaim 78 hectares of land from the Manila Bay.

He said the proposed sanitary landfill project off Manila Bay, to be funded by a low-interest loan from the Japanese government, would be patterned after the reclamation project off Tokyo Bay in Japan.

The project would reportedly be undertaken by Japanese corporations Mitsui and Mitsubishi using a $250 million loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

Abalos said the proponents of the DENR project approached him earlier but he had to turn them down because a Filipino firm has also presented a similar project to him.

"The cost of the (Japanese) project is too expensive and we have here a local firm with a similar proposal that won’t cost us anything," Abalos said.

Last week, Abalos announced that he is seriously considering the proposal of a local firm to develop an offshore sanitary landfill to be located at the Engineering Island near the mouth of the Pasig River.

The proposal aims to reclaim an estimated 100 hectares of land, the cost of which would be shouldered by the proponent.

Abalos said that the project has already been submitted to the National Economic and Development Authority for evaluation. – Marvin Sy and Romel Bagares