Garbage contractor backs out of Cabanatuan’s MRF project

CABANATUAN CITY — A controversial garbage contractor commissioned by the city government to build its Material Recovery Facility (MRF) here has backed out of the project over the refusal of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to issue an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC).

Mayor Julius Cesar Vergara told The STAR that Lacto Asia Pacific Corp. (Lacto), a Manila-based company, has backed out of the proposed MRF project in Barangay Macatbong reportedly in disgust over its failure to secure an ECC from the DENR Region 3 office and from the Regional Environmental Management Bureau (EMB).

"Umayaw na sila (They quit)," Vergara said, referring to officials of Lacto. Quite oddly, he said the DENR issued an ECC for the Malolos and Pulilan MRFs being developed by Lacto.

Last February, Vergara filed a complaint against DENR Region 3 Director Regidor de Leon and EMB Region 3 Director Lormelyn Claudio for refusing to issue the required ECC which, he said, could lead to a garbage crisis.

Claudio has welcomed the filing of the charges. She said the site of the proposed MRF in Macatbong is pristine, complete with wells and springs.

She suggested that the city government abandon its plan to set up a MRF and instead implement waste segregation.

Vergara has strongly denied claims that the site is pristine. "If that is so, why are there poultry houses and piggeries in the place?," he asked, adding that he has presented evidence to the Office of the Ombudsman to prove his point. He said he has a contour map showing that the MRF site is 80,000 feet above sea level.

Vergara said the city government could not possibly bring the city’s garbage to the provincial sanitary landfill in Palayan City as broached by Nueva Ecija Gov. Tomas Joson III because it would be too costly. He said the city government is already spending P15.6 million yearly for garbage collection while collecting a measly P950,000 in garbage disposal fees.

"It would cost us much considering the costs in fuel and what the honorable governor told us that we have to build the access road leading to the sanitary landfill," he said. He added that if wastes from the city is brought to Palayan which is 14 kilometers away, hauling of garbage will become less frequent.

Vergara also disputed the claims of Claudio that the MRF site is not acceptable to the people of Macatbong and no public hearing was conducted by the city government.

He noted that the city government held a public hearing attended by people from Macatbong and the surrounding barangays of Camp Tinio, Kalikid Sur, Kalikid Norte and Bagong Bayan and representatives from the 89 barangays.

"They even thanked us for this project because it would benefit them," he said.