• THERESA MAE DULMAN
The construction of Cell No. 5 at the Bacolod City sanitary landfill in Barangay Felisa is scheduled to begin this January, Mayor Greg Gasataya said.
The project is part of the contract between the Bacolod City Government and International Solid Waste Integrated Management Specialists Inc. (ISWIMS)
The construction of Cell No. 5, which is worth P65 million, is targeted to be finished by at least 3 to 4 months.
The new facility will cover an area of approximately two hectares, with a depth of ten feet.
Gasataya highlighted that the site operates as a full-scale sanitary landfill closely monitored by the Environmental Management Bureau.
The facility integrates essential waste management processes including liquid treatment, soil recovery, proper sloping, and enhanced security measures to ensure environmental safety for the city.*TMD
INSPECTION
Bacolod Mayor Greg Gasataya led an inspection of Cell No. 4 at the city’s sanitary landfill in Barangay Felisa yesterday, alongside key city department officials, according to a press release from the Bacolod City Communications Office.
The visit aimed to verify 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, highlighting sloping and benching measures put in place by the International Solid Waste Integrated Management Specialist, Inc. (ISWIMS).
He added that 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,” the mayor stressed.
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,” he said.
Sandil said that corrective actions have been implemented since ISWIMS took over operations. “We made rectifications to address errors left by the previous private contractor to ensure safety while maximizing the capacity of Cell No. 4,” he added.
Heavy equipment is currently deployed for sloping and benching work at the site.
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 (DENR).
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 – projects critical to the city’s solid waste management program.
Within the 30-plus hectare landfill compound, Gasataya outlined plans for a waste-to-energy project, calling it a potential transformative solution for the city’s garbage concerns.
“We will not limit our initiatives to efficient garbage collection and landfill management. We will also pursue a waste-to-energy plant as a proactive solution to our garbage woes,” Gasataya said.
Those joining the inspection included City Councilors Homer Bais and Jude Thaddeus Sayson; City Administrator Mark Steven Mayo; BENRO Officer-in-Charge Allyn Luv Dignadice; City Engineer’s Office OIC Loben Ceballos; Office of the Building Official OIC Amy Tentia; and representatives from the city’s private solid waste management contractor.*
