Rama says manager to shed light on landfill status

THE Inayawan  landfill manager won’t be barred from attending the Cebu City Council session on Sept. 12 to explain the  status of the  landfill, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said yesterday.

He reiterated that the landfill is only being used as a transfer station rather than a dumping ground for garbage after he issued the December  2011 order closing it.

“The solid waste management board has already set the policy.  What was agreed was to make the landfill  a transfer station,” he said.

Navarro earlier said that 60 percent of the city’’s daily volume or  300 tons of garbage continue to be dumped at the landfill.

The mayor  said it would have been unnecessary for Navarro to attend the council session if Councilor Nida Cabrera attended the meetings of the City Solid Waste Management Board (SWMB).

Cabrera, the council’s environment committee chairperson, is a board member.

“She should have been there (in SWMB meetings) to report (to the city council the board discussions).  But she’s not present,” the mayor said.

City legal consultant Janeses Ponce, whom Rama designated to head the solid waste management board, denied reports that landfill dumping operations is going on.

He said they’ve complied with the mayor’s orders to only use the landfill as a transfer station, the reason  dump trucks continue to visit the area. Engineer  Navarro was  invited to attend the council session on Sept. 12.

Rama said he won’t bar  Navarro from attending the Sept. 12 executive session to address the council’s queries.

He said the executive department is finding solutions to the city’s garbage problem and needs the help of the council and  Cebu City residents.

Rama earlier barred the appearance of his department heads in council sessions, saying they were only being shamed by the council.

“I already explained the parameters so they would know. They know that in case of doubt, they aren’t supposed to issue comments or they can call and clarify with the mayor and they should be responsible for their pronouncements,” he told reporters yesterday. /Doris C. Bongcac, Chief of Reporters