PB to hold hearing on proposed Carmen landfill

The Provincial Board (PB) will listen to the public’s sentiments on the proposed sanitary landfill in Carmen, northern Cebu.

The public consultation will take place at 9 a.m. on Monday, April 1, at the vice governor’s conference room at the legislative building in Capitol.

If approved by the PB, the Capitol will enter in a joint-venture agreement with the private proponent for the operation of a sanitary landfill.

Gov. Hilario Davide III said the project will be implemented through a public-private partnership (PPP).

According to Rodel Bontuyan, head of the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (Penro), the Basic Environmental Systems Technology, which is based in Manila and the nation’s largest sanitary landfill operator, is interested in the project.

The proposed 10-hectare landfill will be built within the 18-hectare property of the Province in Barangay Dawis Sur, Carmen.

The landfill is expected to be operational next year.

It will accommodate wastes from the cities and towns in the fourth and fifth districts.

The municipal government of Carmen will donate three hectares of land for the project.

Based on the proposal, a P700 tipping fee per ton of garbage will be collected by the operator.

The Capitol will own 25 percent of the landfill, while the developers will own 75 percent. The construction is expected to be completed in six to 12 months.

Penro’s record shows that as of 2016, only six of the 51 towns and component cities in the province have a sanitary landfill.