Tuesday, May 01, 2007 Group drops final bid for landfill
THE Baguio City Solid Waste Management Board (SWMB) deferred the final selection of the site for the city's sanitary landfill after one member pointed out there might be legal implications if the City Government procures an untitled property.
Identified as the most suitable site for a sanitary landfill (SLF), the 20-hectare property in Tadiangan, Tuba, Benguet is covered by a tax declaration, has two owners where eight hectares have an existing adverse claim, revealed members of a committee of the technical working group.
Because the lot would have to be in the name of the City Government, pre-qualification, bid and awards committee (Pbac) chairperson and Budget Officer Leticia Clemente stressed that the lot would have to be titled.
In a meeting on Friday, Clemente informed members of the board that audit rules might also prohibit the procurement of an untitled property.
Among the five sites identified as possible locations for a SLF, the Tadiangan area was the most preferred because it is nearest the present dumpsite at 6.5 kilometers and therefore is the most economically viable for the City Government in terms of hauling expense, accessible but far from residential areas surrounded by shrubs and bamboo, and its soil condition is characterized by silty clay loam, which is suitable as soil cover for a landfill.
Other sites include Virac in Itogon, Benguet; the Balatoc Mines tailings pond, also in Virac; the Antamok open pit and Barangay Loacan also in Itogon.
Except for the Virac site, which is also considered as possible SLF location, all other sites were dropped from the list because they are too far from Baguio. All proposed sites however are suitable for a 10-year landfill.
Virac's proximity to the Loakan airport as well as the high acquisition cost prompted the committee to classify the Virac site as a secondary location, although compared to the Tadiangan site, its papers, accordingly are in order.
In the meantime, the board advised the technical working group headed by City Environment and Parks Management Office (Cepmo) Assistant Department Head Nazita Bañez to study the possibility of acquiring the 12 hectares, which is not covered by any adverse claim, obtain the commitment of the owner to sell the property and consider looking for other locations other than those previously identified.
Acting Baguio Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr. also suggested that once there is a quorum among SWMB members, they would vote to include as part of the feasibility study the issue on lot titling.
The City Government has allotted P1.5 million for two feasibility studies, which would be opened for bidding once the board approves the site for the SLF. (RO)
