PILAR LGU to enter into a MOA with a Korean firm for the establishment of an Integrated Sanitary Land Fill and Material Recovery Facility

By Irma A. Guhit

SORSOGON CITY , SEPTEMBER 9 (PIA)…. A memorandum of agreement (MOA) is now on the process of review and consultation, submitted by the Local Government of Pilar to the Department of Environment and Natural Resource (DENR), RO 5 for comments and suggestions in the hosting of an integrated sanitary  landfill (ISL)  and material recovery facility  (MRF) with a Korean firm, the Pilar Jeong Sol Green Technology Limited (PJSGTL).

In a dialogue with Mayor Dennis Reyes of Pilar town, during the 3^rd quarterly meeting of the Provincial Solid Waste Management Board last week, together with  Vice Mayor Celso Lao, Jr.  and several members of the Sanggunian Bayan, the desire to push through this project , according to them is borne out of the requirement of the DENR that each local government unit must have a sanitary landfill and material recovery facility under the RA 9003 of 2000 otherwise known as Philippine Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.

“For a local government like Pilar, whose internal revenue allotment is not enough to finance the establishment of a sanitary landfill since it is very expensive and like us with our budget so meager, it will be very difficult to comply with this RA 9003”, Mayor Reyes said.

“In consultation with the members of the Sanggunian Bayan we have to look for alternative source on who can assist us finance this kind of requirement and at the same time generate jobs and add on income for Pilar”, he said.

The proponent, PJSGTL will undertake the design, finance construction and management of the ISL and MRF according to Mayor Reyes.

According to Reyes, a 30 ha lot will be purchased by the proponent for the establishment of the ISL . In the MOA all stipulated agreements between PILAR LGU and the proponent will be reviewed by DENR.

The ISL and MRF as Pilar LGU intends to pursue will also provide the proponent shipment of scrap materials that can be processed within the MRF and will again be shipped for export to other countries.

Some issues on the agreement where already raised to the several persons concerned during the meeting with Mayor Reyes.

 A very clear provision on the MOA is that no prohibited wastes as stated in article 5 of the MOA be allowed specially pathological wastes, wastes and by products from clinics, laboratories, hospital and other similar sources.

It was also stipulated in the MOA that industrial wastes specially those that are toxic and containing hazardous substances will not be allowed and there will be strict inspection on what kind of wastes will be brought to the ISL.

The materials to be processed in the MRF were well identified in Article 4 of the MOA and according to Mayor Dennis all provisions of the DENR will be strictly followed.

In the MOA, the MRF will only be operating on the following: as paper bailing press that will serve as the scraps paper bonding press, pelletizer of the recyclables plastics, injection moulding machines, can compactor for beer, soft drink cans and other similar items, food waste composting facility, incinerator  and sanitary landfill.

According to Mayor Reyes the agreement will be valid within 25 years and the economic benefit will have a 15% of the gross income for the LGU and the continuous development within the area including employment and infrastructure development that will ensure environmental protection.(PIA-SORSOGON)

Kasanggayahan Festival 2011 Press Conference isasagawa

Ni: Bennie A. Recebido

Sorsogon City, September 9 (PIA) – Isang press conference ang isinasagawa ngayon kaugnay ng mga gagawing aktibidad ng Kasanggayahan Festival sa susunod na buwan ngayong taon.

Layunin ng press conference na maiprisinta ang pinal at aprubadong mga aktibidad sa Kasanggayahan Festival 2011 ngayong Oktubre kung saan mayroon itong aktibidad sa kultura at sining, tugtugan at sayawan, industriya at kalakal, sports events, socials, special interest at self development. 

Subalit nilinaw ni Michael B. Sulit, Sorsoganon Kita, Inc. President na nanatili pa ring bukas para sa mga obserbasyon, komento at suhestyon ang mga ipiprisintang aktibidad upang matiyak na magiging matagumpay ang gagawing festival ngayong taon.

Ilan sa mga bagong aktibidad na ilulunsad ay ang Piridalan sa Dalan, Singing Councilors, Choral Competition, Sorsogon Idol, Rokyaw Kasanggayahan kung saan pararangalan ang mga natatanging Sorsoganon, Photography Workshop, Bridal Fair, National Body  Contour, Regional Band and Majorette Competition, Regional Cooperative Congress at Mardi Gras.

Habang ang mga aktibidad namang sa tuwina ay inaabangan na ng publiko ay ang Historico Cultural Parade, Inter-Municipal Drum and Lyre Competition, Gibalong Mass, Sorsogon Heritage Lecture at Pantomina sa Tinampo.

May temang Going Beyond: Public-Private Partnership Towards Sustainable Development, opisyal na magsisimula ang naturang festival sa unang araw ng Oktubre na magtatagal ng isang buwan.

Napili umano ang temang ito bilang paalala sa lahat ng mga stakeholders na tuparin ang kani-kanilang mga papel na ginagampanan sa pag-unlad ng Sorsogon at sa pagsusulong ng positibong samahan ng mga pampubliko at pampribadong sector. (PIA Sorsogon)

Mga ospital dapat na sumunod sa tamang pagtapon ng mga basura

Ni: Bennie A. Recebido

Lungsod ng Sorsogon, September 9 (PIA) – Matapos ang ginawang monitoring, evaluation at assessment ng Environment and Management Bureau (EMB) ng Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) ukol sa mga paraan ng pagtapon ng basura ng mga ospital sa Sorsogon, na kinabibilangan ng isang public at isang private tertiary hospital at apat na secondary private at dalawang secondary public hospital, lumabas na lahat ng mga ito ay hindi nakasunod ng tama alinsunod sa probisyong nakasaad sa Republic Act 6969 o ang “Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act of 1990”.

Ayon kay Engr. Leonisa Madeloso, kinatawan ng EMB-DENR, gumagamit lamang ng chlorine at Lysol bilang disinfectant ng mga itinatapong basura ang nasabing mga ospital.

Karamihan din diumano sa mga ospital ay walang permit para sa mga itinatapong tubig nito, walang solid waste management report at karamihan sa mga heringgilya, sirang bumbilya at fluorescent lamp, at iba pang mga basura ng ospital ay hindi naitatapon ng maayos.

Kaugnay nito, nagpadala ng notice of violation ang EMB at nakipagdayalogo sa mga kinauukulan ukol sa tamang pagtapon ng mga basura ng ospital upang hindi ito makaapekto sa kalikasan at makapagdulot ng panibangong suliraning pangkalusugan sa publiko.

Iminungkahi din ng EMB ang pagkakaroon ng sariling Pollution Control Officer ng mga ospital na siyang mangangasiwa sa paghihiwa-hiwalay ng mga basurang may mga heringgilya, dextrose, at iba pang gamit sa operating room lalo na kung ang pasyenteng gumamit nito ay may nakakahawang sakit. Dapat ring i-sanitize muna ang itatapong basura at lagyan ito ng marka upang madaling matukoy kung ito ay mayroong mga kemikal na maaring makasama sa kalusugan ng tao.

Samantala, tinalakay naman sa isinagawang pulong ng Provincial Solid Waste Management Board (PSWMB) kamakailan ang panganib na dala ng mga basurang naiipon at kawalan ng maayos na tapunan ng mga ospital dito, pati na rin ang mga solusyon at penalidad sa paglabag sa Republic Act 6969.

Nakatakda ding iprisinta ng PSWMB ang mga lumabas na isyu sa pulong na gagawin ng League of Municipalities (LMP) nang sa gayon ay maipaalam ito sa mga alkalde at kung papaanong matutugunan ang mga isyung ito upang makasunod sa probisyong nakasaad sa RA 6969 ang mga ospital sa kanilang nasasakupang lugar.

Lumabas din sa pulong na kailangang makabuo ng Provincial Monitoring Team na siyang susubaybay at magtatasa sa pagpapatupad ng RA 6969. (PIA Sorsogon)

Sorsogon City mainstreams disaster risk reduction mechanisms in local planning and urban management

By Irma A. Guhit

SORSOGON CITY , SEPTEMBER 8 (PIA)…Using the strategy of bottoms up approach, the city government of Sorsogon has conducted a series of inter-sectoral consultation to mainstream the interventions for Climate Change Mitigation , Adaptation and institute disaster risk reduction initiatives.

“Inputs of the Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO), the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (PDRRMC) and the  Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (BDRRMC), together with other members of the community  have provided the office on the current situations, conditions and identifying problem areas , provide necessary actions steps and harmonizing it with development plans were the mechanism initiated  already by the city government to mainstream Climate Change Mitigation, Adaptation and risk reduction , Mayor Leovic R. Dioneda  usually express whenever he is invited to share the best practices of the city” Tito D. Fortes said in an interview done by the Philippine Information Agency Office here last Monday.

“We were tasked to share the best practices of the City of Sorsogon in DRR in Baguio City only two weeks ago since Mayor Dioneda was in another commitment sharing again the best practices of the city in Solid Waste Management implementation” Fortes said.

 Fortes, as the newly installed officer in charge of programs and projects under the CCMA provided several persons visiting the city, a tour of the office where emboldened hazard maps were posted showing their areas of vulnerabilities and vulnerabilities of neighboring municipalities that also poses a bearing on certain climatic conditions in the city.

Fortes said that the maps generated through the assistance of the Mines Geosciences Bureau (MGB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) provided personnel working in the DRR a very comprehensive presentation of certain types of vulnerabilities of the city.

“This office has created awareness within the basic sectors in the community to look at disasters with preparedness and with a committed responsibility of what should be done collectively in addressing the concerns”, Fortes said.

”The Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO) together with the Sorsogon City Development Planning Office (CPDO) have harmonized their Physical Framework Development Plan”, he said.

Reformulation and the enhancement of the city PFDP in compliance with the CCMA and DRR will now serve as the basic operating guidelines and legal policies to be followed for the expedient implementation of programs and projects under the infrastructure development landscape of the city”, Fortes further explained. (PIA-SORSOGON)

Bulkang Bulusan bilang alternatibong pagkukunan ng enerhiya pag-aaralan

Ni: Bennie A. Recebido

Lungsod ng Sorsogon, September 8 (PIA) – Nakatakdang magsagawa ng geo-scientific studies ang SKI Construction Group Inc. sa Mt. Bulusan at sa paligid nito bilang bahagi ng pinagtibay na work program sa ilalim ng Department of Energy (DOE) Geothermal Resource Energy Service Contract (GRESCO) No. 2010-01-015.

Kaugnay nito, pina-iigting ngayon ng DOE ang kanilang kampanya para sa Information, Education and Communication (IEC) hanggang sa mga barangay upang maipaliwanang ang layunin ng exploration project na ito.

Sa impormasyong ipinaabot ni Sorsogon Provincial Disaster Risk Management Office (SPDRMO) Public Information Officer Von Labalan, isinagawa noong Lunes, Setyembre 5, ang isang forum upang pag-usapan ang mga plano, aktibidad at kaukulang paghahanda para sa proyekto sa panahon ng pagpapatupad nito.

Ayon sa SKI, nasa exploration stage pa lamang sila at wala pa sa development phase ng proyekto, kung kaya’t napakahalaga umanong magkaroon muna ng mga konsultasyon ukol dito.

Ipinaliwanag ng SKI ang layunin nilang magsasagawa ng pagsasaliksik para sa mga potensyal na geo-resources sa Mt. Bulusan, magtatag ng renewable resources, pagbutihin ang lokal na ekonomiya, lumikha ng trabaho at magbigay ng pinakamahusay na kasanayan o best practices sa lugar. Makakabenipisyo rin dito ng pang-matagalang suplay ng elektrisidad, turismo at revenue share ang mga Local Government Units (LGUs) na masasakop nito.

Ayon pa sa SKI, habang nasa pre-development stage pa lamang ang proyekto ay magsasagawa muna sila ng data review, geochemical sampling, geophysical investigation, data evaluation, resource assessment at exploration drilling.

Binigyang diin ng SKI na “high risk” din para sa kanila ang isasagawang pagsasaliksik dahil sa pagiging aktibo ng Mt. Bulusan kung kaya’t tinagurian nilang isang “investment risk” ang proyekto.

Kailangan ding magkaroon muna ng pagtaya (assessment) at suriin ang mga kaukulang hakbang na dapat gawin upang maiwasan ang posibleng panganib na idudulot nito sa kalikasan at sa buhay ng mga tao.

Ipinaliwanag din ng SKI ang kanilang project commitment kung saan tinitiyak nila ang pagkakaroon ng sustainable development at pagiging technology-friendly ng isasagawa nilang hakbangin sa ilalim ng P.D. 1586/IRR 2003-30 at MC14-2010.

Samantala, umaaasa naman si Sorsogon Governor Raul R. Lee na magtutuloy-tuloy na ang exploration project at nangakong magiging bukas siya sa mga ideya at mungkahi mula sa mga stakeholders, sapagkat naniniwala umano siyang hindi suliranin ang isyu sa exploration project lalo kung isasa-alang-alang ang kakulangan ngayon ng mapagkukunan ng enerhiya ng bansa. (PIA Sorsogon)