SEVENTEEN municipalities in Iloilo will be given financial assistance Tuesday, October 19, to safely close or rehabilitate their open dumpsites.
These municipalities are Sara, Banate, Concepcion, Ajuy, Sta. Barbara, Tubungan, Pototan, Cabatuan, New Lucena, Bingawan, Dueñas, Dumangas, Lambunao, San Enrique, Zarraga, Mina, and Passi City.
Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Sr. will release aid amounting to P1.7 million or P100,000 each town during the Provincial Solid Waste Management Board Meeting in Casa Real, Iloilo.
The assistance from the Provincial Government is expected to help the towns comply with Republic Act (RA) 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.
The meeting will update the board members of the status of Iloilo’s compliance to the law and to discuss immediate actions to resolve the problems with solid waste.
Earlier, the mayors of Sara, Banate, Concepcion, Ajuy, and Sta. Barbara received notices of violation of RA 9003 from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Ombudsman.
It included grave misconduct, gross neglect of duty, conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service and other administrative offenses.
Before more mayors become liable, lawyer Arturo Cangrejo, the officer-in-charge of the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office, said they must be constantly reminded of their responsibilities under the law.
“This is the reason why the governor convened the meeting and extended assistance to these municipalities. We just hope that they will find ways to put up their own sanitary landfill,” Cangrejo said. (Jezza Nepomoceno)