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Why is it so difficult for local governments to implement legal provisions on solid waste management, especially when it comes to open dumpsites? I think the law clearly shows the evils of the continued operation of open dumpsites.
Fires caused by the buildup of methane gas in Cebu City? s Inayawan dumpsite and the Umapad dumpsite in Mandaue City ? are alarming consequences of negligence.
The Umapad dumpsite was partly closed in June by Mayor Jonas Cortes, but despite the closure, there were reports that people continued to dump their non-segregated garbage there.
In Inayawan, the Cebu City Government hasn?t done anything concrete to obey the laws on waste management. It continues operating the landfill, which has seen several fire incidents area, posing health risks to living near the area. Local governments continue to adopt Band-Aid measures to contain the fires in Inayawan.
The law says waste must be segregated into biodegradable and non-biodegradable material to reduce the volume of rubbish by about 70 percent. Non-biodegradable materials like plastics, bottles and scrap metal, can be recycled or sold at junk shops, while biodegradable ones can be composted and used as soil fertilizers. This means extra income for households or the garbage collectors or the barangays.
Although Cebu City has a long-term plan for the Inayawan landfill ? converting waste to energy (as a matter of fact, it has entered into a partnership with an Austrian-based corporation) ? the plan apparently got stalled because of questions over ownership of the landfill, which is, by the way, owned by the national government.
Environmental lawyer Golly Ramos said in the 888 News Forum that starting 2010, advocacy groups will draw lots to determine which barangays in Cebu City will be the first batch to be sent notices to sue, a key strategy of the Global Legal Action for Climate Change (GLACC).
The task of waste management basically falls on each barangay so eventually, all barangays that haven?t implemented waste segregation will be sent notices.
Local government units need political will to protect the people from hazards of irresponsible waste dumping. It is the mandate of LGUs to uphold and protect the welfare of their constituents.
In Mandaue City, it is very clear that the political divide between the executive and legislative branch makes it doubly difficult to implement a waste management program. As long as the mayor lacks the support of the majority of the city council, it?s really hopeless for him as chief executive to come up with a workable program. There is a very strict exercise of the power of checks and balances by the city council, especially because the mayor has failed to provide the council details of his waste management program, for which he has asked for a budget.
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Cebu City Councilor Edgardo Labella asked the Department of Education to help improve the reading skills of students in Cebu City. Results of the latest government evaluation show that city students have poor reading skills. Labella?s request is valid but I don?t know how the DepEd can do that.
The quality of education in public schools is very poor. Mos of their students are poor and their living conditions are not conducive to learning. With the shortage of classrooms and teachers, students only attend classes for four hours a day, instead of eight. A class size of at least 50 students makes it difficult for teachers to manage lessons.
The problem boils down to the inadequacy of school facilities, resources and teachers, and the fact that most students don?t have enough time, money and learning materials to facilitate learning. There is also a need to improve educators? teaching skills. Surely, one can?t give what one doesn?t have.
Unless and until the government is able to effectively address these concerns, which have been plaguing the public school system for decades, I think Labella?s request will remain unheeded.
