Residents oppose Baguio landfill in Benguet town

By Dexter A. See

BURGOS, La Union– Hundreds of residents living in three barangays here have submitted their opposition to the planned construction of an engineered sanitary landfill owned by the Baguio City government in nearby Sawili, Sablan, Benguet because of pollution it could cause to their river systems as well as air in the area.

The petition of the residents of Agpay, Liptong and Imelda was submitted to the Sablan municipal government to guide them in coming out with their final decision on whether or not to allow the city government to make use of one of their villages as a dumping site which will compromise the health condition of the people within the sanitary landfill and its surrounding communities as well as the state of environment.

According to the petition of the villagers, the eventual construction of the city’s sanitary landfill will pose a serious threat to the quality of water flowing into a river in their places, which is now being utilized to raise fishes to augment their meager income.

They said the contamination of the water will result in the death of the fishes, thereby depriving them of food and source of income.

The opposition of the villagers came even as some local officials of Burgos are supportive of the planned establishment of Baguio City’s sanitary landfill in nearby Sablan, Benguet since they might be able to use the same as their dumpsite in compliance with the provisions of Republic Act (RA) 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.

The petitioners fear the toxic waste from the sanitary landfill to be constructed in Sablan town might affect the state of agriculture in the three barangays which are adjacent to the project site.

They also noted that the city government has not yet satisfactorily answered the issues raised by the opposition on the environmentally critical project.

Baguio City reportedly wants to force the construction of the long overdue engineered sanitary landfill in a 22-hectare property in Barangay Sawili, Sablan, Benguet.