Editorial - Racing against time

According to a recent report, the Cebu City government is running out options in its effort to build another sanitary landfill, which will replace the one it is presently using in Barangay Inayawan.

The city has been reportedly eyeing either Consolacion town or Talisay City as possible dumping ground of its garbage. This after some of its barangays refused to play host to the new landfill.

Earlier, residents in two mountain barangays – Kalunasan and Binaliw – have opposed City Hall’s move of establishing landfill in their areas. In Kalunasan, over 60,000 residents joined a campaign opposing the dumpsite. Binaliw barangay captain Wilson Bacor said his constituents have opposed the landfill as they do not want to suffer the fate befallen upon the Inayawan folk.

Now, the city government has no other option except to look for available space outside. It is presently exploring all possibilities in order to meet the March deadline imposed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to establish a new landfill with the closure of Inayawan Landfill.

But it boils down to two options: Consolacion and Talisay City. But as to the success in its effort to convince either one of the two local government units, well, it remains to be seen.

Chances are high that residents of these areas would oppose the move of Cebu City. If residents of the city’s Kalunasan and Binaliw are fighting against the landfill, then there is no reason why residents of Consolacion and Talisay City cannot also oppose the move.

As the March deadline looms, the city government is racing against time. It must find a new dumpsite otherwise it would continue using the Inayawan Landfill, which means violating the DENR order and jeopardizing prospective investors at the South Road Properties.

There’s a lesson to be learned from this debacle. The DENR has long condemned the Inayawan Landfill. But the problem was that the City Hall acted slowly in finding a new site.