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Gov.
Erico Aumentado finally backs down to pressure from groups
opposed to the Albur Cluster Sanitary Landfill as he requested
for the suspension of the project's civil works.
The governor informed Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA) general
manager Robert Dean Barbers last Wednesday of his intent to
stop ongoing construction at the project site in barangay
Dangay, Alburquerque town.
This
after residents complained on the turbidity of their drinking
water blaming it on the ongoing works. Dangay is among the
sources of potable water in Albur.
Aumentado
expects Barbers to act on his request this week.
However,
staunch oppositors of the project sees the governor's pronouncement
as a temporary relief as this is only meant for the project's
proponent and local officials to complete the information,
education and communication (IEC) campaign to enlighten the
people on the advantages of the project.
The
Hugpong Alburanon Nagpakabana (Hugalna) is opposing the project
not only for the lack of information drive to Albur folks.
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The
group said in a press statement that putting up a sanitary
landfill is prohibited in areas considered as an aquifer,
or a source of potable water, under Art. 6, Sec. 40
of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act (RA 9003).
To
note, the United Nations Agency for International Development
(USAID) funded Ecological Governance (EcoGov), the Holy
Name University (HNU) of Tagbilaran City, the Bohol
Environment Management Office (BEMO) and the Tanggol
Kalikasan have lined up their respective IEC campaigns
this month when the new set of barangay officials shall
have assumed office and settled in.
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Aumentado
said it is his wish and that of local officials to complete
the information dissemination to ensure the acceptance of
the project and its orderly and hassle-free implementation.
Under
the plan, Albur will host the landfill for the Tagbilaran
and nearby towns including Panglao Island. Being a small island
and therefore environmentally fragile, Panglao by law cannot
embark into a landfill project. Both Panglao and Dauis have
been throwing their garbage at the controlled dumpsite in
Tagbilaran City.
The
dumpsite, however, as in all open dumpsites nationwide, needs
to be closed with the full implementation of Republic Act
9003 or the Clean Air Act.
EcoGov
reports that while some local government units have been successfully
operating sanitary landfills, the Albur case is a first of
its kind in that it will "host" the garbage of 10
to 12 towns, Tagbilaran City initially included, for which
it collects tipping fees.
The
idea of a cluster was born out of the principle that the more
towns contribute for its establishment of a landfill, the
less expensive it would come out.
"Participating
towns" stand to get shares from the landfill revenues.
Aumentado
wants to complete the series of information dissemination,
aware that those
against the project can stage opposition rallies and negative
IEC campaigns.
These
spell trouble as what then Mayor Efren Tungol realized too
late - the landfill became a political issue that led to his
debacle in the last elections, the governor observed.
He
also contemplates that key municipal and barangay officials
be brought on a study tour to the United Nations-awarded sanitary
landfill successfully operated in San Fernando, La Union.
This way, they can help explain the advantages of the project
and allay fears of the unknown spread by the project oppositors,
he explained.
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