La castellana: The establishment of a clustered sanitary landfill serving nine local government units (LGUs) in Negros Occidental has strengthened the province's compliance with Republic Act (RA) 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, which sets the country's policies on solid waste management.
According to Philippines News Agency, data from the Provincial Environment Management Office (PEMO) showed that the number of local government units (LGUs) in Negros Occidental with sanitary landfill facilities will increase from 13 to 22 out of the province's 31 LGUs following the establishment of the La Castellana Clustered Waste Management Facility. RA 9003 strictly bans open dumpsites and mandates sanitary landfills as the final disposal sites for residual solid wastes.
La Castellana Mayor A±ejo Nicor, whose LGU hosts the clustered sanitary landfill, said on Friday that after the signing of the memorandum of agreement (MOA) among the nine municipalities on July 29, preparations are underway for the utilization of the solid waste facility, although there is no specific date yet for the start of the operations. "It will still be discussed by the PEMO with the LGUs in the province. We signed MOA to start putting things into place for its implementation. The nine LGUs will dispose only of residual waste in the sanitary landfill," Nicor said in an interview.
Aside from La Castellana, the clustered LGUs include Pulupandan, Valladolid, Pontevedra, Moises Padilla, Isabela, San Enrique, Hinigaran, and Binalbagan. Situated in Barangay Manghanoy, the provincial government-supported facility serves as an engineered sanitary landfill designed to cater to clustered LGUs within the province's fourth and fifth districts.
The agreement among the participating LGUs ensures compliance with environmental laws while promoting a coordinated and sustainable approach to solid waste management. The MOA signing held in La Castellana was witnessed by Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson and OIC Regional Director Vicente Losba±es of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau Negros Island Region.
"Waste management is a responsibility that cannot be addressed by one municipality alone. It requires planning, resources, discipline, and, most importantly, cooperation," Lacson said. He added that the provincial government fully supports the establishment of the clustered waste management facility as part of its continuing commitment to environmental protection and sustainable development in the province.
