CITY OF SAN FERNANDO –Pampanga Mayors League president and Lubao chief executive Mylyn Pineda-Cayabyab has urged her fellow local officials in the province to intensify campaign on solid waste management.
Cayabyab made the call yesterday morning following the provincial government’s awarding of garbage trucks to 18 local government units at the Capitol.
Gov. Lilia Pineda, Vice Governor Dennis Pineda and Provincial Government Environment and Natural Resources Officer Art Punsalan facilitated the release of the dump trucks to beneficiary-LGUs.
Cayabyab has earlier requested Gov. Pineda to release the dump trucks purchased by the provincial government on condition that local chief executives will make sure that the equipment are properly maintained.
The LGU of Lubao was the first to receive its garbage truck last year when it topped the province in solid waste management program, having established a modern materials recovery facility and an efficient garbage collection system.
Cayabyab invites towns and cities to visit Lubao’s MRF to benchmark on the best practices being implemented by the LGU to reduce the volume of trash sent to the Kalangitan landfill in Capas, Tarlac.
LGUs pay tipping fee to the landfill management coming from their 20-percent development fund. This payments sum up to millions of pesos every year per town.
Cayabyab explained that if LGUs could reduce garbage brought to the landfill, funds intended for the tipping fee may just be used for other development programs.
MRFs, if properly managed, can significantly reduce the volume of garbage dumped into landfills thus saving valuable government resources.
LGUs from all over the country have been going to the Lubao MRF compound in Barangay Sta. Catalina to study the system to be implemented in their respective localities.
Cayabyad said Gov. Pineda has strictly called on the mayors and environment officers to make significant accomplishments in solid waste management program. • Albert B. Lacanlale