THREE days after a fire struck the Barangay Tapul Landfill, the Talisay City Government has used limestone to help address the smoke that has affected residents, including those of the neighboring town of Minglanilla.
On his Facebook page on Friday, April 19, 2024, Talisay City Mayor Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas Jr. acknowledged that the Tuesday fire that firefighters put out on Wednesday was still emitting smoke but he said the local government was now addressing it.
All the way to Minglanilla
On Friday, residents of Purok Bayabas, Sitio Linao in Barangay Lipata, Minglanilla complained that they had contracted cough after enduring for a fourth day the foul smoky air blown their way from the Talisay landfill following the fire.
Lipata Barangay Councilor Merly Nacua said 42 puroks had been affected in the barangay.
The councilor said she herself had been suffering from asthma attacks due to the bad air.
Still coming
Gullas said a landfill fire is always difficult to put out and that even if the fire has already been put out, “mag sige g’yud nag aso tungod sa basura (the smoke will keep coming because of the trash).”
The mayor explained that limestone (anapog) should be heaped on the area to stop the smoke, and that they were only able to begin doing this on Thursday.
Doing it earlier when the area was still very hot and thick with smoke would have put the heavy equipment and their operators at risk, he said.
The mayor said as a result of the limestone heaping, there has been a reduction in the smoke.
“Hopefully, within the next few days, ma okay na gyud ta,” the mayor said.
He asked for patience from residents affected by the smoke, saying: “We are doing everything we can and as quickly as possible. Our people are working night and day para mapadali ang pagtambak (to speed up the limestone heaping).” / CTL, GPL