News Release
QUEZON CITY (January 20) – With the dilemma confronting most of the Local Government Units (LGUs) in the country on the establishment of a Sanitary Landfill, Environmental Management Bureau Assistant Regional Director Engr. Gilbert Gonzales said that sanitary land fill is not the ultimate answer to resolving problem on solid waste management in their respective localities.
In a press conference held recently at the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) in Quezon City, Gonzales said that establishment of a sanitary landfill would entail every LGU an estimate of P20-30 million per hectare, and only a few can afford it.
Gonzales suggested that to effectively implement the Solid Waste Management (SWM) Program, LGUs must reinforce their Municipal and City Solid Waste Management Councils through their Liga ng mga Barangay representatives.
“They have to strengthen as well their waste segregation program, as what the law says, which includes the waste reduction at source – beginning in households – through segregation and recycling, segregation during collection and the operationalization of Material Recovery Facilities (MRF),” says Gonzales.
Republic Act 9003 otherwise known as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 provides for the establishment of at least one MRF in every barangay. It also mandates the setting up of an ecology center in every barangay and segregation of wastes at every step, and bans open burning and open dumpsites, among others.
He cited that in Bicol, the compliance rate for the establishment of barangay MRF has only reached to about 3%.
Gonzales mentioned that the three-strike policy for solid waste management compliance is on. The first notices will be sent to LGUs, after which second notices will be sent. After which, the final notices will be sent. “If the LGUs will still not comply, then they will be filed charges,” he further said.
He also said that as part of the EMB’s priority agenda for 2011 to make the program effective, they are offering technical assistance to 360 LGUs who were given final notice to adopt Ecological SWM and establish MRF in all barangays in the country.
Aside from this, the EMB will also provide technical assistance to LGUs practicing the three aspects of SWM, upgrade established national and 15 regional ecology centers nationwide, and prepare a curriculum that will integrate solid waste management for the three levels of education.
Meanwhile, Gonzales said that they have directed all LGUs to submit a 10-year solid waste management plan and that the EMB is currently on the process of teaching them how to prepare the technicalities of this plan. (Bennie A. Recebido, PIA Sorsogon)
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