Projects to be funded by the European Community in Oriental Negros may be put on hold, because of the failure of almost all local government units in the province to implement a sound solid waste management program.

Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Antonio Cabrido said, the GTZ, a German funding institution, has already expressed concern on the inability of LGUs to implement Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.

He said there are indications that the entity does not want to finance the projects, unless, the LGUs will comply with the law.

The European Community has committed billions of pesos for projects involving reforestation, agro-forestry, and water sanitation, among others, in several areas in the Philippines.

Cabrido said the funding institution would like to make sure that local government units, which are recipients of EU-funded projects, are willing and capable of following environmental laws, apparently, because the prospective projects and previous projects it has funded were all environment-related.

About 21 cities and towns in the province have failed to convert their respective open or controlled dumpsites into a sanitary landfill, as mandated by RA 9003.

These LGUs are the towns of Basay, Sta. Catalina, Siaton, Zamboanguita, Dauin, Bacong Valencia, Sibulan, Amlan, Pamplona, Mabinay, Manjuyod, Bindoy, Ayungon, Tayasan, Jimalalud, La Libertad, Guihulngan and Vallehermoso; and the cities of Dumaguete and Tanjay.

Cabrido also said that most localities in the province do not have a comprehensive and sustainable solid waste management program, and have not allocated sufficient budget for it.

Mario Aragon, environmental management specialist of DENR in Region 7, said that in Oriental Negros, only the cities of Bais, Canlaon and Bayawan and the town of San Jose have complied or are now complying with RA 9003.

The law which took effect in 2001, mandates that within three years following its effectivity, all local government units in the country must convert their open dumpsite into a controlled one.

After which, all LGUs are bound to establish a sanitary landfill on or before January 26, 2006.

The law also provides that mayors who failed to comply with the law will face administrative charges.

Bindoy Mayor Valente Yap, president of the League of Municipalities in the Philippines-Oriental Negros chapter, had earlier said that the mayors are willing to be jailed since they cannot really afford the construction of a landfill because it costs millions of pesos.

Aragon said open dumpsite means the disposal of garbage is not controlled, while, a controlled dumpsite is one which the garbage are being covered immediately after being dumped.

A sanitary landfill, he said, is one which is highly developed, employing facilities and equipment that effectively disposes the garbage, such as separating the solid from liquid wastes and treating them in such away that it will not adversely affect the environment.*RA

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