Lopez dismayed over landfill’s condition

CEBU, Philippines - The former secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources has expressed dismay over the state of the controversial Inayawan Sanitary Landfill in Cebu City.

“I was utterly dismayed…The site of the children running in toxic water was heart wrenching,” Gina Lopez said in a text message sent to Councilor Garganera, former City Council chairman of the committee on environment, Friday.

Lopez was referring to a video she received on Facebook from environmental advocates, showing children playing near a slum area at the foot of the landfill.

She said children are digging through trash and playing amid toxic substances at the landfill, which discharges leachate, a toxic liquid squeezed out of the garbage that contains a slew of chemicals.

Lopez said the “worrying” state of the area has to be addressed.

The former secretary is set to tackle the pressing issue with Garganera after her talk at the University of San Carlos-Main Campus Thursday.

Lopez said she will look for ways to help the city address the situation.

“I will see what I can do to help,” she said, adding that she will form an organization to look into environmental issues and concerns.

On October 20 last year, Lopez called for the immediate closure of the landfill after learning it was close to the sea. The landfill has been operating since September 11, 1998.

Aside from the Inayawan landfill issues, Garganera said Lopez wants to discuss about other environmental issues in the city, including the proposed landfill or materials recovery facility (MRF) in Sitio Kainsikan in the upland barangay of Binalaw.

Garganera said he was grateful to Lopez for showing concern and taking the initiative to help address the issues.

“If you’re an advocate of environment, it will be heard and people will know about it, people will learn about it,” he said.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Environmental Management Bureau (EMB)-7 and Barangay Binaliw had issued on March 27 a cease and desist order against ARN Builders, the contractor of the proposed landfill/MRF in Sitio Kainsikan, to stop its reported illegal quarrying operations.

Garganera believed that City Environment and Natural Resources Office Chief Nida Cabrera made up stories to cover up her alleged connivance with ARN Builders in securing an Environmental Compliance Certificate before the Department of Environment and Natural Resources national office in Manila. (FREEMAN)