Roxas, one of three cities that get GTZ support on solid waste management
Three cities in Western Visayas are recipients of technical support from the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) for the furtherance of their solid waste management projects.
The cities of Iloilo, Passi, Iloilo and Roxas in Capiz were included in the second phase of the GTZ Solid Waste Management Project for Local Government Units in the Visayas, a grant from the German government, according to Immaculate Juntarciego, chief of the Solid Waste Management Section of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) here.
Juntarciego said an agreement was signed between the governments of Germany and the Philippines for the implementation of the project that comes in three phases.
The first phase was already completed, she said.
The recipient-LGUs receive support for the establishment and operation of their sanitary landfills and capability building for those at the forefront in the implementation of solid waste management projects.
"We expect that by the end of the project in 2010 those who are involved in solid waste management are already technically equipped," she said.
Juntarciego explained that Iloilo City was chosen because of its active solid waste management board and technical working group and operational material recovery facilities (MRF) in Barangay Buntatala, Jaro; Sta. Filomena, Arevalo and Barangay Bakhaw in Mandurriao district.
Passi City, meanwhile, has created an office that focuses on solid waste implementation, put up Task Force Linis Bayan, which is unique only to the LGU, ongoing construction of its sanitary landfill and an operational composting facility.
The operation of the disposal site of Roxas City is impressive, according to Juntarciego. It also has an on-site compost production.
Aside from being champions in the implementation of solid waste initiatives, another qualification is for the recipients to have a population of not less than 70,000. (PNA)