Tarlac residents to decide on opening of Clark landfill

TARLAC CITY — Officials of the provincial government here said that another round of public consultations should be undertaken before it could act on a request that the sanitary landfill built by a German firm in Capas town be opened to other areas outside Tarlac and the Clark Special Economic Zone (CSEZ).

According to Gov. Jose Yap Sr., he has already referred to the provincial board the appeal of the National Solid Waste Management Commission (NSWMC) for other provinces in Central Luzon to have access to the multimillion-dollar sanitary landfill being developed by the German consortium, Ingenieurburo Birkhain+Nolte, and the Clark Development Corp. (CDC).

The waste facility is being built in Sitio Kalangitan in Barangay Cut-Cut II in Capas town. The build-operate-transfer contract between the German firm and CDC covers a period of 25 years.

Backing the NSWMC is a resolution adopted by the Metro Clark Advisory Council (MCAC), a group of local government units located adjacent to the CSEZ, favoring the commission’s request.

But Yap explained that, since the provincial board first conducted a series of public consultations before it approved the landfill project’s construction, "it is definitely necessary to let our people here in Tarlac decide again whether or not they want to open up the waste facility to other areas."

Since the provincial board adopted a resolution early last year allowing the project to push through, the German firm started developing five hectares of the proposed 100-hectare landfill site.

The board then permitted the landfill’s construction on the condition that it will only accept commercial and household wastes from the CSEZ and this province, allow a team of experts commissioned by the provincial government to periodically inspect the facility, prioritize Tarlaqueños for employment and ensure the regular remittance of the province’s share from the income that would be generated from the project.

Catholic Church leaders here were among those who opposed the construction of the landfill but their opposition were toned down after assurances were given by the German firm and the CDC that they will comply with the conditions set by the provincial board.

"The provincial board’s actions then, including the conditions it has laid down with regards the landfill’s construction were with our constituents’ consent. It is, therefore, imperative on the provincial government, through the board members, to again seek the people’s opinion on the request of the NSWMC," Yap said.

The restrictions set by the provincial board on the landfill’s operations have reportedly weakened the waste facility’s viability and reduced its potential earnings.

But according to Yap, with Tarlac City producing an average of 60 tons of garbage per day, the facility could give about P7.56 million in revenues to the city government.