Mandaue eyes ban on garbage trucks

CEBU, Philippines - The Mandaue City Council approved a resolution yesterday barring the transport of garbage through their city.

With this, the plan of Cebu City to use a privately-owned dumpsite in Consolacion for its waste disposal is gravely affected.

The Mandaue City Council approved the resolution proposed by Councilor Benjamin Basiga, chairman of their committee on solid waste management.

Basiga’s resolution prohibits the transport of solid waste through the city streets.

Basiga said that his resolution is in consonance with Republic Act 9003 or the Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.

In his resolution, Basiga said that it has been noticed that there are establishments, which are involved in the disposal of solid waste whose trucks traverse the streets of the city.

He said that the transport of solid waste by non-residents of the city needs to be regulated as it may pose imminent danger to the public health and safety of the constituents. 

He also said that it may also prejudice the traffic flow and its leachate discharges may also result to pollution and damage of the infrastructure facilities.

With the passage of the said resolution, the city council is requesting Mayor Jonas Cortes to strictly implement the pertinent laws and ordinances, rules and regulations against the transport of solid waste without the necessary permits.

Basiga in an interview also told reporters that the city will not really grant the “permit to transport” even if these would be able to secure an Environmental Compliance Certificate from DENR.

No ban, Just regulation

City Administrator James Abadia, however, said that the city cannot totally prohibit the transport of the solid waste trucks in passing through their streets.

Abadia said that all the city could do is to regulate the use of the city streets.

“As long if it can’t prejudice the traffic and health of the Mandauehanons, why not grant them the permit to transport? It’s because we cannot prohibit traders from using our roads but we can regulate its usage,” Abadia said.

He said that there are some individuals who are earning a living in transporting solid waste.

Abadia added that since the city has just relied on the provisions being stipulated in the R.A 9003, there is the need for the city council to enact an ordinance that will further regulate these solid waste trucks from passing the city’s streets.

“Kinahanglan nga mo-enact gyud ang konseho ug ordinansa if they wanted to further regulate, nga kon gusto gyud nila moagi sa syudad kinahanglan mananghid gyud daan sila,” Abadia added.

Early yesterday afternoon, a mini-truck owned by former Cebu City Councilor Nestor Archival which was loaded with 100 sacks of residual waste was supposed to enter the city passing through Barangay Canduman.

The said mini truck was on its way to Compostela town to dump waste, however, Placido Jerusalem, the head of the Environmental Enforcement Team, did not allow it to pass after the driver failed to show his men the necessary permits for them to transport the said waste.

The passage of the said resolution also came in time when some LGUs are now eyeing to dump their garbage in a 6.5 hectare private sanitary landfill in Barangay Pulog, Consolacion town which is owned by Asian Energy Systems Corporation.

Although the said dumpsite could be accessible by passing through Barangay Pit-os in Cebu City, but most solid waste transport finds more accessible for them to pass through Mandaue City.

Segregate waste

Meanwhile, household waste remains a big environmental concern of the government.

This as Engr. Amancio Dongcoy, regional solid waste program coordinator of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources - Environment Management Bureau (DENR-EMB)-7, wants to strengthen its partnership with local government units public information officers (PIOs) in educating residents on the importance of segregating waste at the household level.

This is mandated under RA 9003.

In a gathering with the Cebu Association of City and Municipal Public Information Officers (CAOCAMPIO) recently, Dongcoy said the local PIO play a big part of the society in influencing local residents in their area on the need to segregate biodegradable and non-biodegradable garbage starting in their homes. — with Garry B. Lao/NLQ (FREEMAN)