Dumaguete Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo said that once the rehabilitation of the closed dumpsite in Barangay Candau-ay is completed, there is plan to convert the area into a public park for residents and visitors alike.
Remollo toured members of the local media, city and barangay officials around the closed dumpsite after the blessing and inauguration of the new full span Balugo-Candau-ay concrete bridge March 28, and highlighted the area’s potential as a park where recreational and sports activities can be held.
It has been observed that the mountain of garbage at the old dumpsite has already started to shrink and become compact, after its closure in March 2021.
The visitors marveled at the potentials of the closed dumpsite beside the Banica River, which offers a gratifying panorama of Mt. Talinis, Cebu and Siquijor islands, the city said in a press release.
Children could be seen in their bikes or flying kites, along with some residents who were hiking as part of their exercise regimen.
Residents of Candau-ay and Balugo as well as motorists who frequently traverse the area expressed gratitude to the efforts of Remollo in closing the dumpsite after 30 years of operation, saying this provided them with much-needed relief from the foul odor and health hazards while implementing the bridge construction, concreting of access road, and the river flood control dikes.
Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau Region 7 director, Ma. Victoria Abrera, recently congratulated Remollo and the Dumaguete LGU for achieving a compliant status on all the parameters set forth in Republic Act 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, including the closure and rehabilitation of the dumpsite. ||
