BAGUIO CITY – Waste collection schedule in the city began to normalize last week as the city government doubled efforts to address the garbage backlog caused by the stoppage of waste disposal operations at the Irisan dumpsite.
City officials led by acting mayor Daniel Farinas and city environment management office head Romeo Concio worked to implement measures to restore the disrupted waste program particularly the resumption of hauling operations in the Metro Clark Waste Management Corporation in Capas, Tarlac this time with the use of the city’s own garbage trucks, albeit the city tapped the services of a private firm for supplement to haul out the piled up refuse.
The city council Monday approved the request of Farinas for the purchase of additional dump trucks to contain the daily waste output and make the city self-reliant in hauling its wastes. The body opted for an alternative mode of procurement instead of the regular bidding procedures to save on time and cut on cost.
City administrator Peter Fianza Thursday said the city was able to clear the accumulated wastes slowly throughout a five-day haul-out operation covering 18 trips a day.
He said that they were expecting to totally contain the waste backlog that day so that waste collection schedule would return to normal the next day Friday.
He said they also expect to further improve the system of collection even as he echoed the appeal of Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr. and acting mayor Farinas for residents to cooperate by observing proper waste segregation in their households.
Fianza said proper segregation at source will help as the city has also begun hauling part of the residual wastes to Holcim cement company in Bacnotan, La Union pursuant to an earlier deal.
He said the city delivered one truckload equivalent to eight to ten tons of wastes to the cement firm Wednesday and this can be increased if the city can measure up to the strict standards of Holcim.
Fianza said properly segregated wastes can be directly hauled and transported to Holcim thus, segregation plays a key role on this aspect.
He said the city is also continuing to work on other waste management schemes particularly the composting deal with the Department of Agriculture where a memorandum of agreement has been prepared for signing by DA Seretary Arthur Yap for the use of an area in the Dairy Farm for the composting plant.
The city is also working on the resumption of delivering biodegradable wastes to the Philippine Military Academy which was temporarily stopped due to damaged equipment.
As to the sanitary landfill project, Fianza said Concio is now working on the survey of the area while plans are being prepared for road networks and the development of the landfill facility itself.
Fianza meanwhile assured residents of Irisan and Asin barangays who caused the closure of Irisan dumpsite that the city will no longer use the dumpsite for dumping but instead will pursue the closure and rehabilitation of the site. He said bids for the rehabilitation project are set to be opened on Tuesday.
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