• THERESA MAE DULMAN
Construction is now underway for the P66 million Cell No. 5 at the sanitary landfill in Barangay Felisa, Bacolod City, following a groundbreaking ceremony led by Mayor Greg Gasataya yesterday.
The 20,000 square meter landfill, handled by a joint venture between San Igmedio Builders Incorporated and D.C. Sandil Construction, aims to provide immediate relief as the Cell No. 4 is expected to be completely filled within the next three to four months.
Gasataya underscored the urgency of the project but maintained that the city cannot rely on the continuous expansion of landfill cells as a permanent solution.
He said that if the local government unit fails to implement a more effective solid waste management program, it will be burdened with spending roughly P60 million every few years just for disposal space.
The mayor voiced his hope that Cell No. 5 would be the final cell constructed at the facility.
To provide a more sustainable alternative, the city government has entered into an agreement with the Department of Energy (DOE) to develop a waste-to-energy facility.
The facility is designed to process waste into electricity, which would significantly reduce the volume of trash sent to the landfill while generating revenue for the city and its barangays.
The initiative is backed by the DENR-EMB, which has offered funding for a feasibility study, and the DOE, which will provide technical assistance.*
