DUMAGUETE, Philippines (Negros Chronicle) -- Dumaguete City Mayor-elect Felipe "Ipe" Remollo and reelected Valencia Mayor Edgar Teves are considering acquiring a sizable portion of public land in Dobdob, Valencia to build a common sanitary landfill when their terms start in July.
Under the law, local governments must have sanitary landfills to safeguard the environment and to keep residents from getting sick.
Dumaguete alone produces around 50 tons of garbage a day. The city's trash is dumped in the age-old Candau-ay dumpsite, which is no longer sustainable.
Previously, local governments looked into putting up landfills in Zamboanguita, Dauin or Bacong but Valencia may be where a sanitary landfill will finally be put up.
Dobdob is ideal since it is on the outskirts of both LGUs and is safely nestled in a distant plain that could be developed into new market site for farm-to-market products.
One option for the joint venture is for Dumaguete to secure the funds through Mayor-elect Remollo’s connections with investors in the capital region, while Valencia’s equity will be the land area in Dobdob. Both LGUs will make common use of the sanitary landfill and share the cost of maintaining the facility.
Remollo promised during the campaign that he would transfer the city’s open dumpsite to a new location to spare the residents of Barangays Candau-ay and Balugo from the inconvenience and stench that the mountains of trash generate.
Mayor Teves also indicated on the campaign trail his strong preference to establish a sanitary landfill in Sitio Malabago in Barangay Dobdob and for the other LGUs to dump their trash there for a fee.
Sibulan Mayor Emmanuel Diputado, meanwhile, admitted that the municipality is also looking for a viable site to dispose of the town’s garbage since its open dumpsite in Barangay Looc is already filled to capacity.
Valencia Vice Mayor-elect Romeo Alviola said that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources has already conducted a geohazard inspection of the proposed 10-hectare site for the sanitary landfill,which is located approximately 25 kilometers from Dumaguete City. -- Dems Demecillo
The Negros Chronicle is a weekly publication published in Negros Oriental province, Philippines, vigilantly featuring the latest news updates around Dumaguete City and Negros Oriental since 1973.