Except Bayawan City; LGUs in Negros Oriental violate solid waste laws

CEBU, Philippines - All local government units in Negros Oriental, except Bayawan City, were issued notices of violations by the Environmental Management Bureau-Region 18 (Negros Island Region) for failure to establish sanitary landfills in violation of Republic Act 9003 (Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000).

Among those cited with violations—and fined with penalties ranging from P500,000 to P2.5 million—is Dumaguete City, specifically Section 48, paragraphs 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 15 and 16 (for littering, throwing, dumping of waste matters in public places, such as roads, sidewalks, canals, esteros or parks, and establishment, or causing or permitting the same, open burning of solid wastes, causing or permitting the collection of non-segregated or unsorted waste, and squatting in open dumps and landfills, among others).

EMB-18 Director Sophie Manuel said a field inspection and investigation was conducted on March 18 by EMB regional personnel at the dumpsite in Barangay Candau-ay, to verify persistent reports of violations of the law.

Other findings showed unauthorized removal of recyclable materials intended for collection by authorized persons, open dumping, burying of biodegradable or non-biodegrable materials in a flood-prone area, establishment or operation of open dumps, construction of an establishment within 200 meters from the dumps, and operation of landfills or any waste disposal facility or any aquifer, groundwater reservoir or watershed area.

As a result of the findings of the technical committee, Manuel directed the LGUs to explain in writing, within seven days upon receipt of the notice of violation, why they should not be penalized. For Dumaguete City, the penalty is P2,514,000.

Meanwhile, forester Lloyd Patrimonio, provincial environmental management officer of EMB-Negros Oriental, confirmed that all erring LGUs were invited to attend a technical conference on March 30 at the DENR-EMB PEMU office in Dumaguete City to discuss issues in compliance with environmental laws.

Patrimonio said compliance of the RA 9003 is long overdue and that the LGUs concerned will be given a chance to explain why the delay.

On why Bais City was also issued a notice of violation when it had established a sanitary landfill, Patrimonio said inspectors found out its operation was backsliding into an open dump site, despite the putting up of a leachate treatment pond.

Patrimonio said no more open dumps should have been allowed to operate at this time, thus the LGUs concerned should have started already a closure plan, while operating a controlled dump, including perimeter enclosure, among others.

He believed this is a great challenge for Dumaguete due to lack of enough space to operate a sanitary landfill, while plans are afoot to organize neighboring towns into clusters to minimize the cost.

City Administrator Ricardo Gonzales, in his message during the induction of newly-elected officers of the Negros Oriental Bankers Club yesterday hinted that the organization might do something to help the LGUs in this undertaking.

NOBAC’s newly elected president, Elmer Teves of East West Bank, said the group may extend monetary assistance to Dumaguete, being part of the city’s community. (FREEMAN)