DENR releases aid for closure and rehab of Calabarzon dump sites

Aiming for cleaner and safer communities, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Environment Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) released P167 million to the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon (CALABARZON) as financial aid for the closure and rehabilitation of 50 open dumpsite (OD) facilities in these areas.

According to the DENR-EMB Regional Monitoring Group, these local government units (LGUs) are expected to have closed down their ODs and to have been conducting bidding for dumpsite rehabilitation as part of their compliance to Republic Act 9003 or the “Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.”

DENR-EMB Calabarzon Regional Director Noemi A. Paranada said that a total of P145.47 million was released on April 10, 2018 for the safe closure and rehabilitation of 50 ODs and controlled dumpsite facilities (CDF), and another P21.88 million was provided for the upgrade of 45 Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) establishments and equipment.

The LGUs in Cavite that received financial aid from the DENR-EMB are as follows:

• Silang (PHP9,500,000)
• General Mariano Alvarez (PHP9,500,000)
• Mendez (PHP2,750,981.18)
• Alfonso (PHP 2,195,225.80)
• Amadeo (PHP 1,219,575.80)

Meanwhile, the recipients in Laguna include: Alaminos, Calauan, Famy, Liliw, Mabitac, Sta. Maria and Victoria. In Batangas, the LGUs that received funding are: Agoncillo, Balayan, Balete, Bauan, Calaca, Calatagan, Lian, Nasugbu, Sto. Tomas, Taal, Talisay and Tuy.

In Rizal, financial grants were given to Antipolo, Binangonan and Jala-Jala.

Quezon has the most number of LGUs that received financial aid, namely Guinayangan, Lopez, Lucban, Lucena, Macalelon, Mulanay, Padre Burgos, Panukulan, Alabat, Buenavista, Calauag, Candelaria, Catanauan, Gen. Luna, Patnanungan, Perez, Quezon, San Andres, San Francisco, San Narciso, Tagkawayan, Tiaong and Unisan.

The DENR-EMB’s program aims to encourage LGUs in improving waste management and mitigating the waste flowing through Manila Bay; implement proper waste segregation; and regulate the use of plastic while promoting the use of recyclable and biodegradable materials in communities and households.

Paranada said that the agency will soon check and monitor the compliance of the LGU grantees.

via Philippine News Agency / Gladys Pino