City studies transfer of solid waste disposal site to Urdaneta

BAGUIO CITY – The local government is currently studying the possibility of transferring the disposal of its residual waste from the current sanitary landfill of the Metro Clark Waste Management Corporation to the landfill operated by the local government of Urdaneta City, Pangasinan in the coming years.

Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan admitted that while he was on official travel abroad, he received a call from the operator of the sanitary landfill in Urdaneta City, Pangasinan informing him that the local government is willing to accommodate the city’s residual waste without increasing the P550 per ton tipping fee being charged for the use of its sanitary landfill.

Earlier, the Management of Metro Clark Waste Management Corporation wrote the local chief executive that it plans to increase the P550 per ton tipping fee being collected for the city’s residual waste being dumped in its landfill to P650 per ton starting January next year considering the reported increase in the cost of their operation among others and for the local government to submit its reply by the end of the month.

Upon receipt of the offer, Domogan ordered the City General Services Office to evaluate the offer of the two landfill operators and come out with their recommendations on which is the most advantageous offer to the city so that it could already strike a deal with the landfill operator for the uninterrupted dumping of its residual waste.

“We want to study which of the offer of the two landfill operators is advantageous to the local government so that we will be able to sustain the hauling of the city’s residual waste while we are working on the realization of the waste-to-energy project that will be established within the suitable site in the Antamok open pit area in coordination with the Benguet corporation and its private partner, Goldrich Natural Exploration and Development, Inc.,” Domogan stressed.

He added that if BC and its partner will not be able to resolve whatever their legal differences, the local government is willing to takeover the planned put up of the sanitary landfill and the waste-to-energy facility provided that the company will grant to the city the use of its property through a usufruct agreement for a 25-year period renewable for the same period.

BC Executive Director isidro Alcantara assured the local governments of Baguio City and Itogon, Benguet that it is still inclined to pursue the partnership for the realization of the proposed sanitary landfill and waste-to-energy facility despite certain impediments in the conduct of due diligence by its private partner and proposed the necessary solutions to pursue the project the soonest.

Domogan underscored the put up of a waste-to-energy facility nearest to the city will be the best solution to prevent the local government from continuously hauling the city’s residual waste to the available landfills in either Capas, Tarlac or Urdaneta City, Pangasinan but in the absence of the said facility, hauling is still the most feasible solution to prevent the occurrence of garbage crisis in the city which might taint its image as a preferred tourist destination in the country.

He instructed the technical team to immediately come out with their recommendations on which offer will be the most advantageous for the local government so that the pertinent documents for the purpose could be prepared and finalized. /By Dexter A. See

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