Peace body “disinterested” in Baguio City’s waste problem
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BANAWE, Ifugao — “There were no takers,” the head of a regional peace body said of his proposal to take up the garbage issue intelligently.
MARKET DUMPSITE. Trash dumped at upper Zandueta Street at the Baguio Public Market was finally picked up by trucks last July 20. Vendors near the area were relieved from the stinking smell of decomposing garbage. Photo by Brenda S. Dacpano/NORDIS
The garbage problem of Baguio City is a regional concern, according to Benguet Gov. Nestor Fongwan, newly installed chair of the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC).
“It did not fall on deaf ears but seemingly disinterested parties took the hot Baguio City garbage problem coldly,” he said.
Fongwan posed the problem for the regional peace body to tackle but the issue did not gather much reaction from the regional executives and local government officials gathered for the RPOC meeting at the Banawe Hotel Friday.
“Baguio’s garbage is affecting communities downstream of the dump site,” Fongwan told the peace and order body but quipped, “We should not blame the city because it is the people who generate wastes.”
Fongwan said he is concerned where Baguio City would dump its wastes. He informed the body of the city officials’ initiatives at coming up with long-term solutions to the problem of waste disposal like negotiating with neighboring towns Tuba, Itogon and La Trinidad. ‘
“What the city needs now is an immediate solution as to where it would dump its daily garbage,” he said. He proposed that RPOC discuss it initially to help city officials.
Except for well-meaning department heads who suggested that the city take steps at composting its biodegradable waste and turn recyclable materials into useful household items, Fongwan got no other comment from the body.
Baguio City Mayor Reinaldo A. Bautista, Jr. was not among those present, although the body was expecting him during the meeting.
Asked what he would do when confronted with such a problem, Fongwan readily said, “I will hasten waste segregation.” # Lyn V. Ramo
