Bontoc sets programs for dumpsite closure, rehab

By Francis B. Degay

BONTOC, Mountain Province – The local government is now finalizing programs in preparation for closure of the open dumpsite here at SitioMatoytoy-ok, Barangay Caluttit after consultations were conducted.

This, after the Court of Appeals issued a notice of judgment (CA G.R.-S.P. No. 00016) on Feb. 22 for closure and rehabilitation of the dumpsite within six months starting Aug. 22.

Mayor Franklin Odsey earlier reorganized the Bontoc municipal ecological solid waste management council to tackle the issue.

The punong barangay of Caluttit, Bontoc Ili, Poblacion and Samoki already conducted meetings with stakeholders in their respective areas.

The open dumpsite is where the wastes of the 4 Bontoc central barangays (Caluttit, Poblacion, Samoki and Bontoc Ili) were dumped daily since the past years.

According to Roger Agcapen of the Bontoc municipal solid waste management board, the volume of daily wastes being collected and dumped in the open dump site is about 1.5 tons.

In an interview with Bontoc Ili punong barangay Alexander Fana-ang, he said that more than 190 representatives from organizations and sitios including the academe and storeowners attended the meeting last July 15.

The participants vowed to segregate their wastes at source.

Majority of them also agreed to penalize a person or member of a household with P500.00 every offense if found that they didn’t properly segregate waste or was caught disposing waste in undesignated places including community service in the succeeding offenses.

Participants vowed to assist barangay officials in dissemination of the result of the said meetings.  

Another proposed plan bared by Fana-ang was that they will bargain with buyers of recyclables or reusable wastes to include getting other waste materials that are not saleable as part of the trade package.     

Jimmy Cherwaken and John Engngeg, punong barangay of Caluttit and Samoki respectively, said segregation of wastes should be done per sitio.

In Barangay Caluttit, the thrash bin or container of every household shall be assigned with a corresponding number.

If the container doesn’t contain the proper segregation, then the barangay officials or green police can call attention of the source of waste or return immediately the container to the source.   

Paula Acofo of the Bontoc market vendors association (BOMARVA) shared her observations that ambulant vendors who come to Bontoc dispose off their waste at the Chico River bank.

She said they should be monitored and penalized, too.

All private and public schools within the Bontoc central district have also joined the municipal government in its waste management program.

As part of the waste rehabilitation program, the municipal government shall train and organize green police to assist the barangay officials in the implementation of waste management program in the barangay level. 

In an interview with Odsey, he bared that the closure and rehabilitation program plan prepared by the Bontoc municipal engineering office entails about P3.3 million.