CDN FILE PHOTO
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City government is considering disposing the city’s garbage to a new prospective landfill in the neighboring town of Minglanilla in southern Cebu.
Mayor Edgardo Labella said that the Minglanilla landfill had already recently been given an environmental compliance certificate and it was expected to open soon.
The possible opening of the privately-owned landfill in Minglanilla will give the Cebu City government an alternative site to dump its garbage after Labella cancelled the contract of the ARN Central Waste Management Inc., developer of the Binaliw landfill.
Read more: Cebu City cancels contract with Binaliw landfill developer
Labella said that they would look into disposing the city’s garbage in the Minglanilla landfill.
However, he said that it would still be up to the service provider that the city would hire to collect and dispose the city’s garbage if they would throw it there.
The city currently has P65 million to spend to deal with its garbage dilemma and the bidding for a new contractor had already started.
The new contractor will be the one to decide where to dispose the garbage.
The mayor has also asked for a P190.3 million additional budget for garbage in the supplemental budget that will need the approval of the council.
Labella reiterated his stand that there should be no landfill in any part of Cebu City because the city is a highly urbanized area.
The ARN Central Waste Management has already agreed to turn their garbage facility into a material recovery and waste to energy facility.
When these facilities have been established, the landfill will be closed.
Read more: Labella to give extension to Mandaue City for garbage disposal in Binaliw
“There will be much lesser garbage to dispose if it will be converted to energy,” said Labella.
Read more: Mayor Labella rules out use of Binaliw as landfill site
Meanwhile, Labella said that it is only fair that Cebu City will not allow other local government units (LGUs) to throw their garbage in the city because Cebu City does not have much space to spare.
He said that Cebu City is highly urbanized and densely populated and a landfill in the city can negatively affect the life of the surrounding residents. /dbs