Negros Island LGUs Lag in Landfill Facilities Despite Law

More than two decades after the passage of Republic Act (RA) 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2001, only 21 of 57 local government units (LGUs) in Negros Island Region (NIR) have sanitary landfill facilities. Data from the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB)-NIR showed the compliant LGUs include 13 in Negros Occidental and eight in Negros Oriental. EMB-NIR officer-in-charge Vicente Losbañes said that among LGUs in Negros Occidental with operational landfill facilities are Bacolod, Bago, Cadiz, Himamaylan, Kabankalan, La Carlota, La Castellana, Murcia, Sagay, San Carlos, Silay, Sipalay and Talisay. In Negros Oriental, the compliant LGUs are Ayungon, Bayawan, Bais, Dauin, La Libertad, Jimalalud, Tanjay and Tayasan. Losbañes said the local governments of Escalante, Hinigaran and Ilog in Negros Occidental as well as Zamboanguita in Negros Oriental are currently constructing their own landfill facilities. The municipal government of Valencia in Negros Oriental is in the process of securing its environmental compliance certificate. RA 9003 requires all LGUs to establish sanitary landfills either individually or through clustered waste management facilities. The law mandates LGUs to practice waste segregation, recycling and composting as well as to close open dumps, establish barangay recycling centers and formulate a 10-year solid waste management plan. To strengthen compliance, the provincial government of Negros Occidental and nine local government units signed an agreement to operate and utilize a waste management facility in La Castellana.