Mayor Greg Gasataya led an inspection of Cell No. 4 at the city’s sanitary landfill in Barangay Felisa Jan. 13, alongside key department officials, to ensure the strict implementation of safety protocols and prevent incidents like the recent landfill mishap in Cebu City.
“There is a big difference compared to my first inspection here. What we want to ensure is that all compliance measures are in place so that what happened in Cebu will not happen here in Bacolod,” Gasataya said.
He took note of sloping and benching measures put in place by the International Solid Waste Integrated Management Specialist Inc. (ISWIMS), the city’s new garbage collector and operator of the landfill.
The mayor said access to the landfill has been substantially upgraded. “Two dump trucks can now go uphill at the same time, compared to before when only one truck could proceed. This will reduce downtime and help make garbage collection more efficient.”
ISWIMS operations manager Mario Sandil explained that proper waste compaction remains a top priority. “Aside from mixing soil with the waste, we also place topsoil on every three meters of waste to achieve better compaction.”
Sandil said that corrective actions have been implemented since ISWIMS took over operations Jan. 1. “We made rectifications to address errors left by the previous private contractor to ensure safety while maximizing the capacity of Cell No. 4.”
Heavy equipment is currently deployed for sloping and benching work at the site.
While optimizing the use of Cell No. 4, Gasataya also reviewed plans for Cell No. 5, which will also be operated by ISWIMS. Sandil said construction is targeted for completion within three to four months, a timeline that will help alleviate the city’s garbage backlog.
The mayor also addressed challenges facing the Bacolod Integrated Recovery and Treatment Hub (BIRTH) facility, which is planned for the landfill area. The project has been delayed due to the lack of an environmental compliance certificate (ECC) from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
Following the inspection, Gasataya met with Vicente Losbañes, acting regional director of the Environmental Management Bureau-Negros Island Region yesterday afternoon to discuss ECC issuance for both the BIRTH Facility and Cell No. 5, as these projects are critical to the city’s solid waste management program.
Gasataya also outlined plans for a waste-to-energy project within the 30-plus hectare landfill compound, and called it a potential transformative solution for the city’s garbage concerns.
“We will not limit our initiatives to efficient garbage collection and landfill management,” he said in a city press release. “We will also pursue a waste-to-energy plant as a proactive solution to our garbage woes.”
Joining the inspection were councilors Homer Bais and Jude Thaddeus Sayson, City Administrator Atty. Mark Steven Mayo, BENRO officer-in-charge Atty. Allyn Luv Dignadice, City Engineer’s Office OIC Engr. Loben Ceballos, Office of the Building Official OIC Engr. Amy Tentia, and representatives from the city’s private solid waste management contractor. ||
