MANDAUE City cannot establish its own public sanitary landfill because its limited land area leaves no room for a facility that meets national environmental standards, according to City Councilor Joel Seno following a benchmarking visit to General Santos City.
Seno led a Mandaue delegation to General Santos City as part of a solidarity mission that included the turnover of P1 million in financial assistance to support recovery efforts after an earthquake struck the southern city. The aid was released by the City Government as a gesture of gratitude to a city that has supported Cebuano communities in past disasters.
The visit also gave the delegation an opportunity to inspect General Santos City's solid waste management system after local officials invited them to tour the city's sanitary landfill.
Seno said the experience underscored the challenges Mandaue faces because of its limited territory. The city has a land area of 34.87 square kilometers.
Land constraints
Speaking after the visit, Seno compared the two highly urbanized cities, pointing to the vast difference in land area.
"General Santos City is a very blessed area because they have a territory that is so big," Seno said in Cebuano, noting the city's 492-square-kilometer land area.
"Because of that massive land area, they have more than enough space to comfortably choose where they can build and isolate top-tier, standard-compliant landfills."
He said Mandaue does not have the land needed to establish and operate a government-managed sanitary landfill.
"In the City of Mandaue, we are simply not blessed with that kind of area," Seno said. "We do not have the vast, open land required to accommodate a massive, localized public disposal facility of our own."
Private waste management
Because of those limitations, Mandaue continues to rely on a private sector consortium to collect, process and dispose of its daily solid waste.
When asked about the City's long-term waste disposal plans and private partnerships, Seno said a permanent solution remains "in the works."
The delegation also inspected General Santos City's second landfill cell, a two-hectare engineered disposal site with a depth of 100 meters and protective liners designed to prevent groundwater contamination. The facility is located far from residential and commercial areas and is operated by the local government.
Seno said the group remained at the site for about 30 minutes to assess its environmental conditions.
"We stayed there for half an hour just to get a feel of the place and check if there was any foul odor lingering around," Seno said.
"Amazingly, there was absolutely no smell. The entire site was beautifully managed, exceptionally clean, and fully compliant with environmental standards. You would barely realize it was a massive landfill because the management is so tight," he added.
Lessons from GenSan
Beyond solid waste management, Seno said the delegation also observed General Santos City's disaster response systems during the visit.
According to information presented to the Mandaue officials, General Santos restored 80 percent of its damaged power distribution system within 36 hours after the June 8 earthquake through its disaster risk reduction and management protocols.
Seno said the delegation was instructed to extend Mandaue's highest commendations to Mayor Lorelie Pacquiao and her administration for protecting residents during the emergency.
Applying the model
Seno said the City's geographical limitations prevent it from developing a public sanitary landfill, but Mandaue can still adopt engineering practices and operational standards observed in General Santos City.
He said local legislators intend to incorporate lessons on landfill engineering, odor management and disaster response into Mandaue's waste management framework as the city continues to manage growth within its limited land area. (ABC)