Council seeks master plan for Sto. Tomas garbage site

By Paul Rillorta

BAGUIO CITY – The city council here is asking for a master development plan for the Santo Tomas area covering approximately 139 hectares in this mountain resort.

This came as plans for the area as a multi-use site emerged during deliberations to approve the terms of reference (TOR) for the planned engineered sanitary landfill (ESL).     

The council returned the TOR for the development of the city’s ESL to the Solid Waste Management Board unacted.  

This was decided earlier after Councilor Betty Lourdes Tabanda inquired from City General Services Officer Romeo Concio complete papers for the Integrated Solid Waste Management System (ISWMS). 

Tabanda said, “What was forwarded to the council is the endorsement for the approval of the TOR on the future development of the ESL.”

City General Services Officer Romeo Concio said, they “did not yet submit documents for the ISWMS and the revised 10-year solid waste management program pending completion of the waste analysis and characterization study (WACS) preparatory to the development of the city’s waste system.”

Concio add

ed, ”the conduct of the waste characterization study was bid out twice but unfortunately, there were no takers.”

“We are in the process of a negotiated procurement for the WACS, the amendments to the 10-year solid waste management program is dependent on the completion of the WACS that is the reason why we are not yet submitting it, ” he said.

Concio however requested the city council to give them more time until they have completed the negotiated procurement on the WACS being the guiding principle for development on the waste system.

Concio was invited to present to the council the waste system operation and its components and documents prior to approval of the TOR for the planned sanitary landfill.

It can be recalled that five potential sites were investigated and the Santo Tomas Site was recommended by the monitoring committee and eventually approved in city council Resolution number 78-2009.  

Concio updated the council on status of the Santo Tomas area and components of the system consisting of a central Materials Recovery Facility (MRF), Environmental Recycling System (ERS), Engineered Sanitary Landfill (ESL), Waste-to-Energy (WTE), Anaerobic Digester (AD) and Health Care Waste Treatment Plant (HCWTP).    

Concio said, “the survey of the area has been completed and the Solid Waste Management Board is awaiting the Geophysical study being done by the Bureau of Mines on the soil structure in the area.”

“The road leading to the site, an alternate route is being prepared by the Office of the City Engineer,” he said.

Concio requested the council to hold in abeyance the discussions for the ISWMS until the WACS is accomplished.

Concio said, “they have already requested assistance from the National Solid Waste Management Commission to furnish the city lists of probable consultants who can conduct the waste analysis and characterization study of the city to hasten the process”.

Tabanda also said, “a technical study on what kind of technology or possible technologies that are available should also be conducted which will be open to bidding so as not to limit one unsolicited proposal.”

Councilor Peter Fianza proposed since the waste system is not new and the principle for such a facility was acceptable, the application should comply with necessary planning policies.

Fianza added, “there are things which have to be done first before implementation can begin such as the comprehensive study on the use of the land.”

Mayor Mauricio Domogan earlier identified the area as possible site for expansion of Baguio Cemetery and resolutions of the council recommended an area for housing purposes and satellite market.