Inayawan demands P340M compensation over landfill

CEBU, Philippines - Barangay Inayawan is asking the Cebu City government P340 million as “just reparation” that it could use to address health and environmental concerns.

Barangay Captain Lutherlee “Lotlot” Ignacio-Soon said that at P10 million a year, the city owe Inayawan the amount as landfill operation started in 1980, or for 34 years.

“Angayan lang mi bayaran kay daghang damage sa among part ilabi na sa environment and health,” she said.

Ignacio said they are afraid that health and environmental concerns would further worsen due to toxic substances from the landfill.

A recent study by the University of San Carlos titled “Fate and Transport of Chromium, Lead and Mercury in the Inayawan Sani-tary Landfill” highlighted the risk caused by dangerous metals seeping into the soil from the facility.

The study revealed above tolerable levels of toxic substances at the landfill likely generated from mercury-filled household solid waste products.

The 15-hectare has already reached its maximum capacity and now poses hazard to public health and the environment.

The money, Ignacio said will be used to improve their health center and for the construction of a materials recovery facility.

She recalled that former mayor Tomas Osmeña promised the barangay at least P5 million a year as revenue shares but reportedly failed to follow through on the promise. Inayawan officials doubled the amount in making the request.

As of yesterday, the City Legal Office is still drafting an opinion in response to the request.

In 2009, the Inayawan barangay council approved a resolution formally asking the city 30 percent of the landfill’s income derived from payments of those dumping waste at the landfill.

The barangay council argued that Inayawan has served as the city’s dumpsite since 1980, which was “a hazardous responsibility… accepted without reservation or any form of compensation.”

The council said that garbage, in any form and of huge quantity, is an apparent threat to the health of the residents in the barangay.

The smell of the dumpsite is believed to be the main cause of recurring upper respiratory tract infections suffered by many Inayawan residents, especially those living near the dumpsite.

“Notwithstanding the high risk the landfill poses, there has never been any complementary preventive measure for the protection of the environment and the people’s health and this is due to the financial constraint as far as the barangay is concerned,” read the barangay resolution.

The city government is scheduled to completely shut down the landfill on January 15, which the barangay welcomes but not the scavengers who are making a living collecting scraps and other recyclables collected from the landfill.

An estimated 90 percent of the total number of scavengers at the landfill earns P100 to P300 a day, depending on what they gathers from the facility.

Mely Lirazan, 55, said the plan is very saddening to them as her entire family depends on what they collect at landfill for a living. She and her husband have been scavenging since the landfill was established in 1980.

“Kun sirhan asa naman mi padulong aron manginabuhi? Wala miy grado para makapangita og laing trabaho. Daghan kaayo mi’g gibuhi ug gipakaon nga mga apo,” she said.

Malyn Adraqua, 34, was also disappointed over the plan to completely close the landfill.

“Unsaon man namo panginabuhi, ang basura raman among panginabuhian?” she said.

The scavengers are appealing for a livelihood grant from the city once the closure is implemen-ted next year.  (FREEMAN)