• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Only 21 of the 57 local government units (LGUs) in the Negros Island Region (NIR) have established sanitary landfill facilities more than two decades after the passage of Republic Act (RA) 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2001.
This is based on the data released by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB).
EMB-NIR OIC Regional Director said the compliant LGUs include 13 in Negros Occidental and eight in Negros Oriental.
In Negros Occidental, the cities and municipalities with operational sanitary landfills are Bacolod, Bago, Cadiz, Himamaylan, Kabankalan, Sagay, San Carlos, Sipalay, Talisay, Silay, La Carlota, La Castellana, and Murcia.
In Negros Oriental, the compliant LGUs are Bayawan, Bais, Tanjay, Tayasan, Dauin, La Libertad, Ayungon, and Jimalalud.
Losbañes said sanitary landfill facilities are currently under construction in Escalante City, Hinigaran, and Ilog in Negros Occidental as well as Zamboanguita in Negros Oriental.
Valencia in Negros Oriental is in the process of securing its environmental compliance certificate.
RA 9003 requires all LGUs to establish sanitary landfills either individually or through clustered waste management facilities.
The law also mandates waste segregation, recycling, composting, the closure of open dumpsites, the establishment of barangay recycling centers, and the formulation of a 10-year solid waste management plan for every LGU.
To strengthen compliance, the provincial government of Negros Occidental and nine local government units signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) on July 29 for the operation and use of the La Castellana Clustered Waste Management Facility.
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson and Losbañes witnessed the signing ceremony.
The agreement was signed by La Castellana Mayor Añejo Nicor, Pulupandan Mayor Miguel Peña, Valladolid Mayor Ricardo Presbitero Jr., Pontevedra Mayor Jose Maria Alonso, Moises Padilla Mayor Ella Garcia-Yulo, Isabela Mayor Miguel Angelo Yulo, and representatives from San Enrique, Hinigaran, and Binalbagan.
Under the agreement, the nine participating LGUs will transport their residual wastes to the La Castellana sanitary landfill and pay tipping fees to cover facility maintenance and the salaries of personnel managing waste segregation and operations.
The sanitary landfill will be managed by the provincial government in coordination with the municipality of La Castellana, which owns the property.
Losbañes said the provincial government provides funding for equipment, trucks, and machinery, including facilities that will convert biodegradable waste into useful materials.
He added that financial investments for the project will be shared between the participating LGUs and the provincial government.
Lacson emphasized that addressing solid waste management requires collaboration among local governments.
“Waste management is a responsibility that cannot be addressed by one municipality alone. It requires planning, resources, discipline, and, most importantly, cooperation,” Lacson said.
Despite the progress, many LGUs in Negros Occidental remain without sanitary landfills.
Losbañes said E.B. Magalona, Manapla, Victorias City, and Cauayan are pursuing proposals to establish their own facilities.
He noted that Victorias City had previously disposed of its waste at the Cadiz City sanitary landfill, but was forced to seek an alternative after the facility reached capacity.
Several LGUs in Negros Occidental’s fifth and sixth districts also have yet to establish sanitary landfill facilities, highlighting the continuing challenge of achieving full compliance with RA 9003 across the region. | GPB
