By Bohol Island News Staff | 3:14 PM November 20, 2019
For operating as an open dumpsite, environmental authorities ordered closed the material recovery facility (MRF) in Tagbilaran City Wednesday, November 20, 2019.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) issued cease-and-desist orders against the Tagbilaran City government for operating an open dumpsite, strictly prohibited under Republic Act (RA) 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.
DENR Undersecretary for Solid Waste Management and Local Government Unit Concerns Benny Antiporda personally led the closure of the 2.6-hectare dumpsite in Barangay Dampas.
Antiporda, together with the DENR 7 Environmental Management Bureau, padlocked the entrance gate of the open dumpsite.
Antiporda added that the facility is supposed to function as an MRF but is actually operating as an open dumpsite, which the law prohibits as it poses health and environmental hazards.
The CDO was received by City administrator Cathelyn Ontong-Torremocha.
“It is an opportunity to do our best and do our part as residents of Tagbilaran,” she said.
Torremocha continued that the city government, for its part, will heed the DENR order and will look for means to remedy the solid waste management situation in the city.
“Atong paningkamutan nga masulbad rani nato,” she added.
Section 37 of RA 9003 states that “no open dumps shall be established and operated, nor any practice or disposal of solid waste by any person, including LGUs, which constitutes the use of open dumps for solid wastes, is allowed.”
“What will happen after that, kailangan nila ng mitigation nila. Anong gagawin ninyo? Paano maminimize ang basura niyo? At paano ninyo maipangako na this will serve as transfer station and not a dumpsite? Of course, we will be supporting them also, hindi ko hinintay na mamalimos sila, nakahanda na po ang pondo rin namin para sa safe closure and rehab sa dumpsite na ito,” Antiporda said.
He also clarified the closure of Tagbilaran dumpsite would just be temporary “so as not to create chaos and a garbage crisis in the city.
