The Provincial Government of Tarlac (PGT) is assuring the public that there will be no disruption in the collection of solid waste in the province, with the expiration of the Contract for Services between the Clark Development Corporation (CDC) and the Metro Clark Waste Management Corporation (MCWMC) that operates the Kalangitan Sanitary Landfill Facility.
“Recognizing our role under the Local Government Code, we shall maintain the responsible implementation and enforcement of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000
(Republic Act No. 9003) within our community,” the Tarlac Capitol said in a statement.
According to the Provincial Government of Tarlac is working closely with alternative solid waste management facilities that are compliant with the guidelines of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and maintains its commitment to protecting both public health and
the environment.
“With this, we encourage fellow local government units using the Kalangitan Sanitary Landfill to take immediate action and engage the services of alternative facilities starting October 6 in order to ensure the uninterrupted collection and management of waste within their respective provinces,” the provincial government said.
The Tarlac Capitol is assuring constituents that the province maintains its policy of adherence to the rule of law and is grateful for the continued support of the national government and the private sector to ensure the non-disruption of solid waste management services.
Meanwhile, the Pampanga Provincial Capitol is now considering three alternative waste management facilities in anticipation of Kalangitan landfill’s closure this month.
Gov. Delta Pineda had earlier requested the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to initiate meetings with the management of the facilities, along with municipal environment officers.
During the meetings, the operators of the waste management facilities presented information relevant to their services and capacity to accommodate Pampanga’s solid waste, which is estimated at 1,150 metric tons per day.
Engr. Art Punzalan, Pampanga environment and natural resources officer, said that the Floridablanca Enviro Park Project Corporation, which operates a 91-hectare landfill in Brgy. Pabanlag, Floridablanca, met with the provincial board on September 23. A subsidiary of Berjaya Philippines, Inc., the facility can accommodate 3,500 tons of solid waste per day.
Meanwhile, Prime Waste Solutions Inc., located in Brgy. Planas, Porac, which met with the Provincial Board on Sept. 30, has a capacity of 5,000 tons per day. Operating a 48-hectare solid waste-to-fuel facility, it can reduce waste for final disposal to the landfill – with only 10 to 20 percent of waste going to landfills.
Punzalan said the LGU’s main concern is to find alternative facilities that are compliant with the environmental laws and with capacities sufficient to receive the province’s waste.
“Gusto kasi ni Governor Pineda ay nakahanda tayo kaya isa-isa natin silang pinapatawag upang mabigyan ng pagkakataon na ilatag ang kanilang serbisyo at sinisiguro namin na aprubado ng DENR ang mga facilities na ito,” Punzalan said.
Another solid waste facility ready to provide waste management services to LGUs is the Eco Protect Management Corp. in Porac, a 34-hectare landfill with a capacity of 2,500 tons per day.
On October 1, the Clark Development Corporation (CDC) issued a statement that the publicly bidded contract of services of Metro Clark Waste Management is valid only until October 5, 2024.
“The Clark Development Corporation (CDC) is committed to upholding the principles of transparency and adherence to regulations in its operations. The Kalangitan Sanitary Landfill operates under a Build Operate Transfer (BOT) contract, which was publicly bidded and duly approved by the Office of the President of the Republic of the Philippines in 2000. CDC respects the sub judice rule, thus, it has taken a stand to refrain from commenting on issues now pending before the courts,” the statement said.
With this, CDC had already accredited Prime Waste Solutions Pampanga Inc. as “the first waste service provider.”
“In our efforts to ensure uninterrupted waste management within Clark, Prime Waste Solutions Pampanga Inc. has been accredited as the first waste service provider,” it stated.
The CDC furthered that they are in the process of accrediting additional applicants who have yet to complete the submission of their requirements, and the process wil run until October 5, 2024.“Rest assured that CDC will remain steadfast in its commitment to make Clark environmentally sustainable,” the statement ended.
