Public officials hit for dumpsite burning

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – Two top public officials were hit for the continuous dumping of waste in the province of Pampanga and the burning of garbage in Barangay Lara here.

Sonny Dobles, an official of the Advocacy for the Development of Central Luzon (ADCL), alleged that both Governor Eddie Panlilio and City of San Fernando Mayor Oscar Rodriguez should be jailed for the burning of waste in the dumpsite.

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Dobles also said all mayors and barangay chairman should be charged for violating laws of the Solid Waste Management Act.

For Rodriguez, the allegations of Dobles were unfounded.

“We have closed that dumpsite several years ago. In our investigation we discovered that it was in a part of Maliwalo (Porac) were the burning is happening in an illegal dumpsite there. That is actually just a few steps from our closed landfill were the Biosphere project is being put up now by Blue Steel Spectrum Corporation and I do not have the mandate to have it closed because hindi natin nasasakupan iyon,” Rodriguez told Sun.Star Pampanga.

City Environment and Natural Resources Office Chief Elmer Dizon also affirmed that the burning of garbage comes from the privately owned Gueco dumpsite.

“Nevertheless, we are now filling the landfill to prevent any burning. So much methane gas has accumulated in the area that with just one wayward spark coming from nearby dumpsites will set it on fire. Tinatambakan namin ang Lara portion,” Dizon disclosed.

Rodriguez said the City Government has long been conducting awareness campaigns in its 34 barangays complemented by the purchase of modern garbage trucks.

Panlilio and Rodriguez both agreed that garbage management remains to be everyone’s problem, which could be addressed with collaborative efforts starting at households and the barangay level using segregation as an initial step.

“With segregation we have substantially reduced the volume of garbage generated by the city. Still, it is a problem that we must concertedly address. It is a problem in Cebu, which I saw when we visited it last week. It is a problem of Angeles City. It’s everyone’s problem that could be solved only with unified efforts,” said Rodriguez.

Solid Waste Management Task Force)

Panlilio told Sun.Star Pampanga that the Capitol has created a solid waste management task force following the failure of the Solid Waste Management Board’s to muster a quorum.

“One big problem here is that mayors do not attend the board meetings where we try to formulate solutions to our garbage problems. We cannot muster a quorum so we decided to create the task force to oversee the implementation of proper waste management and segregation,” he said.

Panlilio disclosed that the task force has conducted seminars and information campaigns on segregation at the barangay level. It has also started the identification of possible transfer stations and release of funds for material recovery facilities.

“In fairness, Mayor Dennis Pineda of Lubao has been very compliant and supportive of our moves. The landfill being constructed there is the best possible solution to our garbage problems and the provincial government has filled about 5 hectares of the proposed 23-hectare dumpsite,” said Panlilio.

“Well, I just hope that our friend Mr. Dobles would verify his information first. Ang problema kasi sa kanya ay dakdak siya ng dakdak eh wala naman siyang datos,” (The problem with him is he keeps on talking and talking but he does not have data with him) Panlilio said.