MORE than 200 residents in Barangay Pit-os, Cebu City signed the petition for the closure of a landfill in the adjacent village of Binaliw.

They joined in the “Protect Binaliw Movement” that aims to stop the operation of the private facility, saying they are affected by the foul smell from the trash.

“Kami nga mga molupyo sa Barangay Pit-os supak sa baho sa mga basura nga karga sa mga garbage trucks nga molabay sa kadalanan dinhi sa among barangay (We, the residents of Barangay Pit-os, cannot bear the foul smell of the trash coming from garbage trucks that traverse our barangay roads),” a portion of the petition read.

Apas Barangay Councilor Ramil Ayuman, who supports the signature campaign, expressed his thanks to the Pit-os residents who joined the campaign, saying he was only helping his former constituents who had relocated to Binaliw.

The Binaliw residents, who first initiated the campaign, had gathered more than 400 signatures. It is led by Jefferson Omandan.

Ayuman posted on Facebook that the foul smell from the landfill had reportedly reached Barangay Panoypoy, a mountain village in Consolacion town.

He said the number of those who signed is expected to rise in the coming days.

The initiators of the petition aim to get at least 1,000 signatures from the villages of Binaliw, Pit-os, Agsungot, Bacayan and Pulangbato before submitting it to the Environmental Management Bureau.

A copy of the petition will also be given to Cebu City mayor-elect Edgardo Labella. (From PAC of SuperBalita Cebu, KAL)