CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Advocacy for the Development of Central Luzon (ADCL) criticized the Capitol and other local government units (LGUs) in the province for their alleged neglect in coming up with a systematic garbage disposal.
ADCL Executive Vice President Sonny Dobles on Tuesday's Provincial Board (PB) committee hearing told board members that illegal dumpsites still operate in many towns of the province and a provincial garbage disposal system is non-existent.
ADCL said Governor Eddie Panlilio and “some mayors” have yet to comply with the provisions of Republic Act (RA) 9003, otherwise known as Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.
Under the Act, open dumping of wastes is prohibited.
But Dobles showed photos to PB members that open waste dumping and even burning still exist in Mabalacat and Sasmuan towns, among others.
RA 9003 mandates the closure of open dumpsites in 2004 and of controlled dumpsites in 2006 and a shift to landfill use.
As of latest statistics of the Environmental Management Bureau, there are at least 19 open waste dumpsites in Pampanga.
In 2007, the province only produced 745 metric tons of wastes daily.
The EMB, in 2009, said it was finalizing administrative charges against LGUs with active open waste dumpsites to force local officials to attend to the alarming problem on waste management, but as of Wednesday, no one from Pampanga has been charged.
Vice Governor Joseller “Yeng” Guiao said the PB will call the attention of Panlilio on the issue, adding that the matter should be given immediate attention by the governor.
Panlilio initiated a plan of coming up with a Materials Recovery Facility that would segregate solid waste and reduce it to residual waste for disposal in Kalangitan Landfill, Capas, Tarlac in 2009. The plan, however, did not materialize.
Panlilio, in earlier interviews, said that such plan would only work if all mayors would agree to the proposal.