MikeLigalig.com

by Bohol Chronicle

Tagbilaran city residents raised a bigger howl over the apparent ineptitude of the present city leadership in the manner the burgeoning daily garbage problems are being managed even as mounting calls for the closure of the Dampas Open Dumpsite located 3 kilometers north of Tagbilaran City has recurred.

Exasperated residents vented their ire on top local officials for ignoring a slew of garbage problems that have been besetting city residents ranging from non implementation and enforcement of local and national garbage laws, lack of garbage disposal facilities, apparent non prioritization of garbage collection and disposal by top city officials, among others.

According to results of a survey by DYRD's "Radyo Merkado" on the residents appraisal of the city's waste situation - surprisingly 45% pushed for waste segregation at source while 40% blamed city hall for the shameful garbage situation and 13% wanted Dampas dump site closed and others preferred the Albur Sanitary landfill and a ban on the use of plastics.

With an estimated population of 92,297 generating more than 100 tons of waste generated - the city garbage situation has been hobbled by the non implementation of city ordinance mandating segregation at source that would greatly relieve pressure on the 2.6 has Dampas open dumpsite.facility.

Garbage collection in the city is being implemented on designated daily pick-up time schedules by less than ten city garbage trucks. Five years ago, estimated generated garbage was tagged at 31.9 tons daily.

Reports reaching the Chronicle showed that the City Solid Management Waste Office has been plagued with equipment breakdown due to maintenance problems.

Barangay officials have also been blamed for its failure to put up Material Recovery Facilities (MRF) as mandated by Section 32 of RA 9003 (Ecological Solid Waste Management Act) that would serve as a waste transfer or sorting station, drop off center, composting and recycling facility.

MRF's are the best response to the mounting garbage problems in the city that is considered environment- friendly and makes it a sound economic venture.

The sorting strategy - separating materials for disposal from those that are re-usable and recyclable for marketing and selling has been proven effective in communities where MRF's were established, according to the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB).

Numerous junk shops in the city are an indication as to the commercial viability of waste segregation. Establishment of MRF's are best in barangays with space limitation problems.

According to experts waste segregation at source is the best way to solve the garbage problem but top city hall officials have tolerated city households to deliver trash sans segregation.

Even residents of nearby Sitio Cangguining, Barangay La Libertad, Baclayon joined the fray after the nearest accessible road leading to the city was blocked by mountains of garbage reportedly strewn across the roads.

Baclayon Mayor Alvin Uy has interceded in behalf of his constituents but no positive response from the city government has been received as of press time.

A check with the City Solid Waste Management office showed that only one bulldozer is in use for clearing operation but is presently undergoing cleaning operations since it got bogged down in the mud filled area of the dump site.

According to Cenas Batonghinay of the Solid Waste Management Office the privately owned bulldozer is the quarry type not suitable for pushing large amounts of trash.

Beleaguered City Solid Waste head Engr. Edmund Jimenez has his hands full after politics seemingly seeped into the garbage problem when Mayor Lim ordered Dampas brgy. Captain Frederickson Ingles to solve the waste problem in the city.

The 2.6 has. garbage facility has been recommended closed due to large areas of exposed waste that could leak leachate into ground water and drainage systems aggravating the present health situation of surrounding communities.

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