Labella tells Mandaue: Why not dump in Minglanilla?

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella is willing to hear out the request of Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes to allow Mandaue to dump its garbage at the Binaliw landfill but also suggested that Cortes consider dumping at another landfill in Minglanilla.

“I would like to remind him (Cortes) also that there’s another area allowed which has an ECC (environmental compliance certificate) -- Minglanilla, a dumping site,” Labella told reporters at a press conference yesterday.

Labella said he is open to the request of Mandaue to dump in Binaliw, albeit only temporarily and not for “too long” because residents there have reportedly complained of the stench emanating from the facility.

“But of course, I have yet to listen to the request of Jonas. I just read that on the paper. More or less, I’m inclined to give due course on the request,” he said.

Initially, Labella said the Cebu City government and ARN Central Waste Management Inc., owner of the landfill in Binaliw, agreed to stop accepting garbage from public and private haulers effective July 30.

But Cortes asked for Labella’s reconsideration considering that the landfills in Consolacion and Aloguinsan were reportedly closed.

Labella said he has not received any formal request from Cortes yet.

Labella also commented on the criticisms made by opposition-allied members of the City Council regarding the stoppage to the dumping activities in Binaliw.

“It’s very clear. Why allow our barangay in the city to be the dumpsite of all other local government units?” the mayor said.

“To other LGUs, it’s up for them because they have bigger spaces to spare to be a dumpsite.

In our case, we are so densely-populated in the city. We don’t have that much area where we could allow. Imagine allowing Binaliw and other parts of the city which are already densely populated to be our dumpsite.

“Would you allow that? Of course not. Binaliw property is densely populated. It’s surrounded by subdivisions. It is even an agricultural area,” he added.

Earlier, Councilors Eugenio Gubuya Jr. and Joy Augustus Young criticized the executive department for blocking other LGUs from dumping their wastes in Binaliw, saying it is unfair for the city to accepting other’s garbage.

Meanwhile, City Attorney Rey Gealon said his office recommended for the cancellation of the P65 million contract between the city and ARN as “it is to the best interest of the city in the light of lingering concerns, both legal and environmental.”

It can be recalled that the previous administration awarded the contract to ARN Builders Inc. for the city to use the facility as solid waste disposal area.

In his legal opinion, Gealon cited the complaint filed by Barangay Binaliw Council before the Environmental Management Bureau-7 on the propriety of having a landfill in the area.

Gealon said EMB-7 issued notice of violation against the ARN Builders for alleged violation against the terms of reference of its ECC.

Gealon also cited the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Administrative Order 2014-05 issued to delineate the boundaries of the Butuanon River Watershed reveals that Binaliw is part of the watershed. This, he said, makes the operation of a landfill in the barangay “run afoul” against Section 48 (16) of the Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.

“Hence, pending the settlement of the legal and social controversies, law and prudence requires that the best course of action would be the cancellation of the said purchase order and such cancellation is consistent with law, public order, and public policy,” Gealon said in his legal opinion. —  JMD (FREEMAN)