Albur mayor offers solution to Panglao garbage woes

With the garbage disposal problem in the resort-haven Panglao Island creating an intense infighting among local officials, Albur Mayor Efren Tungol has offered an advice to reduce the volume of wastes coming from business establishments and residences.

Tungol, whose town will host the Cluster Sanitary Landfill project that aims to solve the persisting garbage disposal impasse, not only of Panglao but also Tagbilaran City, said the solution is simple and attainable by local government units.

“Even before garbage disposal becomes a critical situation for an LGU, it can be prevented if waste segregation at source, recycling and composting is practiced,” Tungol offered during an interview with dyRD “Inyong Alagad” on Wednesday.

Although Panglao Island and Tagbilaran awaits the completion of the much-delayed Albur Landfill project, the facility could only accommodate residual waste. Hence, it is still vital for LGUs to push for the practice of waste segregation as what is required under Republic Act 9003, at this stage.

Waste segregation at source, recycling and composting should be advocated at the purok level, Tungol stressed.

Garbage can be lessened by up to 70-percent if segregation, recycling and composting are practiced.

Until now, there is no update on the status of the Albur cluster landfill project after a public consultation last February which finally gave the green light for its construction.

According to Tungol, the implementer of the project is the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) which is currently in the process of bidding out the P215-million facility.