Benguet, La Union towns oppose Baguio trash site

By Dexter A. See

SABLAN, Benguet – The municipal government here strongly opposed the planned establishment of an engineered sanitary landfill owned by the Baguio City government in a 22-hectare private property located in Barangay Poblacion, citing negative impact of the environmentally critical project to the environment.

Despite the promised substantial infrastructure development leading to the proposed engineered sanitary landfill site which will be provided by the city government, host communities said negative effects of the project on water supply and pollution will affect living condition of people in the place.

Residents of several villages in the town and the neighboring villages of Burgos, La Union passed several petitions interposing their opposition to the construction of the sanitary landfill in Poblacion Sablan since it will pollute river systems which serve as one of major sources of their livelihood as well as cause inconvenience to them because of air pollution emanating from tons of solid waste dumped on the landfill.

Earlier, a private landowner offered to the Baguio City government that the establishment of the city’s engineered sanitary landfill could be done in a 22-hectare property in the town provided that appropriate evaluation will be made by concerned government agencies whether the same will pass the standards as provided under Republic Act (RA) 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.

Based on the geohazard assessment and environmental impact study conducted by the Cordillera offices of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau and the Environmental Management Bureau, the said area, which is at least 2 km from Naguilian Road, has passed standards required for the establishment of a sanitary landfill considering that it is over 500 meters away from the nearest residential area and away from bodies of water.

Although Baguio has already identified a definite site where to set up its engineered sanitary landfill in Barangay Sto. Tomas Apugan, the local government has continuously accepted numerous offers from neighboring towns and private property owners offering their available lands for the purpose but it failed to secure the social acceptability of host communities.