Kalikasan case settlement pushed: Baguio City waste output reaches alarming levels

By Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY – This city’s daily waste output has soared from 166 to 200 tons alarming officials who held an emergency meeting last week to solve the crisis.

Mayor Mauricio Domogan said immediate solutions reached were maximization of the operation of the Environmental Recycling System  machines and the hauling out of the residual wastes to the sanitary landfill facility in Capas, Tarlac pending resolution of issues with Pro Tech Machineries relative to its contract with the city.

This, as a compromise agreement is in the offing for the settlement of the Writ of Kalikasan case filed against the city government over the use of Irisan dumpsite.

Domogan had tasked the city legal office under Carlos MelchorRabanes to draft the compromise agreement as agreed on by the parties during the pre-trial conference held May 4 at the Court of Appeals.

Rabanes said the parties reached the agreement on the condition that the city will commit to perpetually stop dumping wastes at the Irisan facility.

He said that during the conference, it was established that the Irisan dumpsite has been closed as affirmed by the National Solid Waste Management Council and the Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources.

The city was given 30 days to come up with the agreement for submission to the CA.

Domogan asked Rabanes to include in the points of agreement the possible use of the facility as a transfer station which Rabanes promised to consider even as he admitted that such provision will face a rough road because of what happened at the temporary transfer site at Irisan Limekiln where wastes supposedly for hauling were left untouched beyond the allowable time thus creating a mini-dumpsite.

He said the city will have to provide ample justifications and commitment that the use would purely be for a transfer site and that no wastes will be piled at the facility.

The draft compromise is expected to pass through the city council for approval via a resolution.

The Supreme Court on Jan. 17 issued a Temporary Environmental Protection Order (TEPO) to stop the use of Irisan dumpsite as dumping area and as temporary holding or staging point for wastes in relation to the petition for Writ of Kalikasan filed by petitioners led by Benguet Rep. Ronald Cosalan.

The city government on Feb. 3 filed its answer to the allegations lodged in the Writ of Kalikasan.

The Supreme Court relegated the case to the CA which held the pre-trial conference where the possibility of an amicable settlement between the parties was explored.

The CA has tentatively set the next hearing for June 4.

This, as the city environment and parks management office will submit a detailed estimate of the needed fund for transport and tipping fee for approval by the city council along with the inventory of all the expenses incurred on waste disposal.

The mayor also bared new developments on the long-term solutions being eyed by the city for its waste disposal system.

He said he has been working for a possible tie-up with Benguet province on the establishment of engineered sanitary landfill (ESL) facilities in La Trinidad and in Ampucao, Itogon.

The La Trinidad facility is expected to be finished in two months and he will negotiate with Benguet Gov. Nestor Fongwan and La Trinidad Mayor Gregorio Abalos to avail of the facility.

The mayor expressed confidence on the reception of Benguet officials and said the city is willing to pay tipping fees for the use of the facility.

He also disclosed positive development on the Korean-backed multi-purpose waste management system in Ampucao which was earlier thought to have fizzled out due to the reported withdrawal of support by Itogon mayor Oscar Camantiles.

He said Camantiles himself told him of his full support to the project and even encouraged him to help in its pursuit.

Domogan said he will meet with Camantiles anew to sign a joint manifestation of support to continue the project.

The mayor said the city is also considering another possible ESL site in Sablan along with a couple of proposals for new waste technology but these remain in the drawing board.  

On Thursday, waste collection activities went back to normal following the clearing of the waste piles at the temporary transfer station in Irisan Limekiln.

CEPMO officer-in-charge CordeliaLacsamana said the city will continue to use the Limekiln site to hold wastes but only on a 24-hour basis as committed by the city to residents of the affected puroks who protested against the piled up garbage.

           

While clearing the waste deposit at the transfer site, the city resorted to a truck-to-truck system of hauling that slowed down the collection in the barangays.

Lacsamana said that with the resumption of the waste collection schedule, the city can tackle the garbage backlogs as well as the new wastes in the barangays.