Domogan pushes Itogon sanitary landfill

AFTER the onslaught of Typhoon Ompong, Baguio City Mauricio Domogan has renewed interest to push for the Itogon engineered sanitary landfill (ESL).

Domogan said despite being in the middle of a geo-hazard area, he believes no danger will be imminent if the city fills it with trash.

“We are not going to build houses in the area, we are going to put garbage,” Domogan said.

Domogan said the earlier proposition of Itogon Mayor Victorio Palangdan for the same area to be returned to the municipality and be utilized as a “minahang bayan” has now been quashed following the order of Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu to halt all small-scale mining in the Benguet town.

The mayor said if all can be planned properly, a common waste disposal area for the entire Baguio-La Trinidad–Itogon–Sablan–Tuba–Tublay (BLISTT) can be achieved in Itogon.

Palangdan has not responded to Domogan’s call and snubbed two meetings with the chief executive on the matter.

Benguet Corporation Incorporated (BCI) pledged close to 30 hectares for Baguio within the patented area in the company’s property in Itogon for the city to use for free which is however, strongly opposed by the municipality.

Domogan said the company has also agreed to give Itogon 9,000 square meters of land with an additional 11 hectares for the municipality to utilize as their ESL as well.

Itogon has rejected the offer.

Domogan said an initial assessment has been made by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Environmental Management Bureau which has given a green go for the area to be used by the city.

Total waste generation of Baguio City is estimated to reach 402,776.38 kg per day.

Hauling, though expensive, has been identified by the Environment and Management Bureau of the DENR as an acceptable means of disposal for areas which can afford the service and is still without an ESL.

Domogan said the move to still stake claim over the area will be discussed in a meeting with Palangdan and hopes the highland mayor will agree to the proposal.