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BACOLOD CITY, Philippines ? Former senator John Osmeña will invest in an integrated waste management facility in Negros Occidental that would recycle waste and turn biodegradable garbage into fertilizer.
Osmeña said last week he had yet to decide on the specific site of his proposed facility but added that he planned to tap the wastes from the cities of Bacolod, Bago, Silay, Talisay and Victorias as well as from Murcia town.
"We will salvage metal, plastics, paper and glass from the waste for recycling, and put earthworms into biodegradable garbage to create vermicast, a much cheaper fertilizer for the sugar industry that could sell at P300 a bag against petroleum-based fertilizer selling at P1,800 a bag," he said.
"But I would need the commitment from local governments that they are willing to use my company for their waste disposal," Osmeña said, adding that he would spend money for the site of the facility and the dump trucks.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) informed local officials whose areas still maintain open dumpsites to close these within six months. The agency warned it would file charges against those still operating open dumpsites beyond the designated period.
A list of open dumpsites prepared by the National Solid Waste Management Commission showed that as of the fourth quarter of 2007, 12 of the 826 listed open dumpsites were in Negros Occidental.
These dumpsites were located in Bacolod City, Bago City, Calatrava, Escalante City, Murcia, Sagay City, San Enrique, Silay City, Sipalay City, Talisay City and Victorias City.
Negros Occidental Governor Isidro Zayco said some of the mayors of municipalities that still had open dumpsites asked Presidential Management Staff Secretary Cerge Remonde to help them set a meeting with Environment Secretary Lito Atienza.
The mayors wanted an extension of the deadline for the setting up of sanitary landfills because they did not have enough funds to get them ready in six months, he said.
Zayco, when informed of Osmeña's plan, said the project could help solve the problem of setting up of sanitary landfills.
"Perhaps a meeting between Osmeña and the mayors can be arranged on the matter," he said.
Osmeña has moved residence to Negros Occidental and is building a house in Silay City.
He said he also proposed to develop the former Mirasol wharf, near the Bacolod Real Estate Development Co. (Bredco) port in Bacolod City that was bought by the Bacolod Terminals and Real Estate (BTRE), a company in which Osmeña has involvement. /Inquirer
