There’s a sad footnote to the projected common sanitary landfill purportedly in Consolacion town just yonder up north. The LGUs of Metro Cebu (North) up to Compostela – including Lapulapu City and Cordova – are not yet finally relieved of their common headache, after all.
Talks have been bruited about that the officialdom of Consolacion has already given their nod to the barrio Puog landfill as common garbage repository. Mandaue City for one has Mayor Jonas Cortes holding sway at the Umapad dumpsite to ensure its closure on June 7 or thereabouts; and then, finalize the mechanics for the eventual shift to the Consolacion common sanitary landfill.
Unfortunately though, one’s doubting Thomas instinct had set a wet damper, that is, on the practicability, the continuity, and sustainability for long, of one LGU at the receiving end of the solid waste of 2 highly urbanized cities and three other towns. So far, the necessity for each of these LGUs to have their own separately in reserve appears to be the best part of prudence.
All along, one has reluctantly taken the role of the devil’s advocate that not one LGU could afford to play hero to accommodate the garbage of other LGUs. Others though, have cast aside some degree of foresight and pragmatism, and dismissed one’s doubtful reservation, saying that the memorandum of agreement (MOA) among the LGU executives concerned has already been okayed, except for the formality of signing.
But the facts on the ground, particularly at Consolacion’s end, are starting to emerge… For one, Provincial Board Member Victor Maambong of the Fifth District, no less, who has his roots in Consolacion is reportedly opposing the Consolacion planned common sanitary landfill in Puog.
For another, Vice Mayor Ember Alinsug, obviously Maambong’s kin, was reportedly taken aback why the Sangguniang Bayan (SB) which he presides, “has not received any communication about the matter until now”. Disdainfully, Alinsug said: “Ka ngilngig gud nila”, stressing that he knew about the plan to dump garbage in his town via newspaper accounts. Alinsug sounds logical that making Consolacion as the common dumping ground of the LGUs of Metro Cebu (North) needs the approval of the SB which he presides.
Moreover, Mayor Avelino Gungob Jr. also recuses himself surprisingly from the planned move, saying that it is “still a proposal and the municipal council will eventually be informed if the said proposal is finalized”.
Going back to PB member Maambong, he wants assurance on the “health safeguards and measures of the townsfolk” and, hinting of fair compensation which, incidentally, jibes with Mayor Gungob’s remark that part of the proposal is “putting up a plant at site to convert trash into cash”. And, the biggest hindrance to overcome is Maambong’s trailing comment of a prior consultation with the townsfolk, plus what is left unsaid that the people would so agree. Would they?
Amidst these variables snagging the probable realization of the Metro Cebu (North) common sanitary landfill in Consolacion, what then happens to this pestering solid waste enigma?
Whatever be the ultimate solution, or the interim and temporary make-do and, without any malice to our friendly Boholano neighbors, each and every LGU has to address its own garbage/waste problem, as in: “Idya, idya; aho, aho”.
Of course, it goes without straining, that all LGUs have to find – and their officialdom determined enough and their executives with unwavering political will – the absolutely needed alternative expertise to establish and sustain their own sanitary landfill. Putting up vast and strategic areas for community composting sites, aside from the material recovery facility (MRF) to convert the biodegradable trash into organic fertilizers, and recycling plastic waste as cooperative projects, would hopefully really turn trash into cash. A priori, each LGU sanitary landfill shall ultimately serve only as the repository of the solid waste residuals.
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Email: lparadiangjr@yahoo.com