THERE are only five barangays in Davao City with a functioning materials recovery facility (MRF) used for proper solid waste management, according to the environmental group Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability (Idis) on January 23.
Idis executive director Atty. Mark Peñalver said out of the 182 barangays in the city, less than 20 percent have MRFs but only five are functioning, namely those in barangays Hizon, Gumalang, Mahayag, Tacunan, Mintal, and Catalunan Grande.
As stated in Republic Act 9003 “Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000,” an MRF should be established in every barangay or per cluster of barangays that would serve as the drop-off station for the sorting, recycling, and composting of solid wastes from households.
Since barangays do not have the needed facility, residents in turn are not motivated to segregate their waste and therefore contribute to Davao City’s growing waste problem.
Peñalver said most barangays reason that they do not have the appropriate space for the facility while some do not have the budget for an MRF.
“Wala sila'y area kung asa gyod nila mabutang which is mao na ang main reason na ginaingon nila always, apart from budget. Gamay lang daw pud ang budget nila for environment sa mga barangay (They don’t have area to put the MRF, that is their main reason, apart from budget. Barangay’s budget for environment is also meager)," he said during an interview with the media.
With this, the executive director said the implementation of solid waste management in Davao City is still weak despite the existence of RA 9003 and City Ordinance No. 0371-10 “Davao City Ecological Solid Waste Management Ordinance of 2009.”
If the laws were enforced properly, Peñalver said the amount of waste that ends up at the sanitary landfill in Barangay Tugbok will be greatly reduced. He added that the majority of the waste in the landfill is biodegradable which could have been segregated or composted.
“Kung kato siya mabilin sa barangay because sila man ang naay responsibility (with those materials) residual na lang gyod ang maadto sa landfill. Ang lifespan sa landfill, mas mag dugay pa (If the biodegradable waste will remain in the barangays since it is their responsibility, only residual waste will go to the landfill then the lifespan of the landfill will be longer),” Peñalver said.
Currently, almost all the waste generated by the city is collected and dumped at the landfill, which is already filled to the brim.
In the meantime, Idis continues to lobby for initiatives and alternatives to aid barangays in their solid waste management practices.
For one, Peñalver said they helped set up an MRF in Brgy. Tawan-tawan which is 7x4 meters in size and cost P30,000. He said this could be an example to motivate other barangays to set up their own MRFs.
"Ang barangay willing sila basta naay mutabang sa ilaha (Barangays are willing if authorities are willing to help them),” Peñalver said. ICM