Inayawan landfill rehab hangs in the balance

CEBU, Philippines — The incoming administration of the Cebu City government will be the one to decide on the fate of the Safe Closure and Rehabilitation Plan (SCRP) of the Inayawan Sanitary Landfill.

This, as the outgoing members of the City Council did not approve the proposed resolution of Councilor Jerry Guardo for the approval of the SCRP of the landfill during the last session last June 25.

Guardo said he was on official leave from June 18 to June 28 that is why failed to attend the last session.

“I will just reintroduce the approval of the plan in the next regular session,” he told The FREEMAN.

During the session, outgoing City Councilor Jose Daluz III took the cudgel for and on Guardo’s behalf asking the council to defer the approval of the resolution.

“The council should act on an item in the agenda,” he said.

But outgoing Vice Mayor and presiding officer Edgardo Labella said the members of the City Council can no longer move for deferment because there will be new sets of officials next week.

With this, Daluz yielded and moved for the withdrawal of the proposed resolution approving the closure and rehabilitation plan of the landfill.

Guardo, who is set to be proclaimed on Monday as winning bet in the last elections, vowed to resubmit and reintroduce the resolution.

Guardo said he can do it because he will replace outgoing City Councilor Alvin Arcilla whose candidacy was cancelled by the Commission on Elections En Banc.

Outgoing Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office Head Ma. Nida Cabrera said she is hoping that the plan will be approved as it is the city’s compliance to the court’s issuance of a Writ of Kalikasan.

In July 2018, the city issued notice to proceed for  Full Advantage Phils International Inc. (FAPII) to commence the consultancy project known as the “Closure and Rehabilitation Plan for Inayawan Sanitary Landfill” with a contract amounting to P2,474,550.

In the plan, FAPII proposed the establishment of a waste-to-energy (WTE) facility in the service area.

Also, FAPII recommended three options as to what the city government will do with the rehabilitated landfill; (1) industrial or economic zone; (2) recreational eco-park; and (3) renewable energy center.

Cabrera said she already gave the documents of projects and programs of CENRO to the incoming CENRO Head Atty. John Jigo Dacua who reportedly vowed to continue the former’s projects and initiatives. —/GAN (FREEMAN)