DILG Region III, in coordination with EMB-DENR Region III, initiated a Seminar-Workshop on Solid Waste Management Plan Formulation for Field Implementors held on May 8-11, 2012 at Maharajah Hotel, Angeles City. The activity was aimed to create or organize a pool of experts who would assist the LGUs in the region to come up with a Solid Waste Management Plan that conforms with the standard of the National Solid Waste Management Commission (NSWMC). It was attended by a total of forty (40) participants from DILG, EMB-DENR, DOH and DPWH.
OIC-MED Chief Lerrie S. Hernandez discussed the overview of the activity. She mentioned that the activity was in line with the Manila Bay Clean Up Rehabilitation and Preservation Project implementation.
Director Florida M. Dijan, in her message, emphasized the importance of implementing Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act. She urged everyone to work together in helping the local government units so that they could comply with the requirements of Republic Act No. 9003 and the continuing Mandamus of the Supreme Court on the Manila Bay Clean-Up, Rehabilitation and Preservation project.
The seminar included site visits in the province of Bulacan particularly the Barangay Material Recovery Facility (MRF) of Barangay Poblacion and Vicente G. Puyat’s Engineered Sanitary Landfill in San Jose del Monte City and Matictic Sanitary Landfill in Norzagaray to enable the participants
to see the actual operation of the facilities. The group also visited Holcim Cement Corporation’s Geocyle Plant also in Norzagaray where they were informed of the process of Geocycle as a safe and secure method of waste management that destroys the hazardous components of waste while capturing the energy and mineral content in the production of cement. According to Dr. dela Cruz, plant manager, co-processing leaves no solid residue or water effluents to be disposed of and substitutes the use of fossil fuel such as coal; and therefore changes waste management approach the environment-friendly way. He further mentioned 3R’s (Reduction, Resource Recovery, Rejection) as the guiding principles in the implementation of Geocycle.
During the training, Ms. Laura Abando, Regional Coordinator of Ecological and Solid Waste Management presented the different laws and other related law provisions such as RA 9003 or Ecological and Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, RA 6969, RA 8749 or Philippine Clean Air Act, RA 9275, RA 9729, EO 774, and the Supreme Court’s Continuing Mandamus. She also presented an outline of a Solid Waste Management Plan.
Director Lormelyn Claudio of EMB-DENR Region III thanked Dir. Dijan for spearheading the training that she said would be of great help to the LGUs in the formulation of the SWMP. She hoped that the activity is the start of a partnership between DILG Region III and EMB-DENR Region III in advocating the massive implementation of RA No. 9003. In response, Dir. Florida M. Dijan confirmed that the partnership between the two agencies will continue for the attainment of the objective of the Manila Bay Clean Up, Rehabilitation and Preservation Project as well as in the implementation of other environmental laws. She also congratulated the participants for hurdling such kind of training.
Th
e last day of the seminar-workshop was another site visit to the MRF of Barangay San Nicolas, Angeles City where the participants experienced actual waste analysis and characterization survey (WACS).
