Montalban landfill to open Jan. 17

Metro Manilans may soon get a respite from all that garbage.

Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. announced yesterday that the garbage dumpsite in Rodriguez (formerly Montalban), Rizal, will be fully operational by Jan. 17.

The dumpsite located in Sitio San Isidro, Barangay Lukutang Maliit will host 2,000 tons of garbage daily from Metro Manila in the next seven years.

Rodriguez Mayor Pedro Cuerpo has assured Abalos that his town is ready to host Metro Manila’s garbage.

Abalos and Cuerpo will be among the top government and local officials in attendance when the dumpsite is inaugurated on Thursday.

However, Abalos clarified that only residual wastes will be dumped in the Rodriguez landfill.

"What we will be bringing there (dumpsite) is only the residual waste," said Abalos, noting that the cities of Las Piñas and Pasig, and the Smokey Mountain in Manila have an operational material reduction facility (MRF) that segregates and composts the garbage.

"Since we already have three MRFs, not all garbage will be brought to Rodriguez, so we could still use it for a longer time," Abalos said.

Despite the opening of the Rodriguez landfill, however, Abalos is still looking for other dumpsites for Metro Manila’s garbage.

He also appealed to households to continue practicing the MMDA’s waste segregation scheme to help reduce the volume of garbage in their respective areas.

"We would still develop other landfills so that we would not be held hostage by the closure of another," said Abalos. "The MMDA is still open to proposals."

The formal operation of the Rodriguez dumpsite and the search for other landfills are an assurance of Abalos to Metro Manilans that the MMDA is working on a long-term solution to the garbage problem.

Abalos expressed confidence that once the contract with the pro-environment groups materializes, garbage will no longer be a headache for the MMDA and residents of its component towns and cities.