Former Negros Occidental Gov. Lito Coscolluela yesterday stressed the need to implement segregation of garbage to help reduce the volume sent to the dumpsite and help the city save about P85 million a year.

“Waste segregation reduces our chances to spend for Solidwaste Management. The participation of the civil society is vital because we generate too much garbage,” Coscolluela said at the first Bacolod City Solidwaste Management Summit yesterday in Bacolod City.

The volume of garbage will increase with the arrival of more investors to Bacolod and the city has only five hectares in Felisa to deposit its waste, he said.

Coscolluela said the city is spending P130 million a year to pay for garbage collection and hauling services. The people can segregate 60 percent to 70 percent of this garbage and save about P85 million which can be used for other services.

“If we undertake a serious advocacy calling for the involvement of all waste generators, we can theoretically save as much as P85 million a year by not sending most of our garbage to the sanitary landfill, “ he said.

The 130 million for garbage hauling services is only part of the total expense of P300 million in the 10-year SWM program of the city. Part of the money will be used to improve cell number 1 in the sanitary landfill, Coscolluela said.

He also suggested during the summit that the budget for information, education and communication (IEC) should be increased to strengthen their advocacy.

Coscolluela said that according to the Dep Ed, out of the P300 million budget, only P400,000 is allocated for EIC and another P400,000 for capability building when in fact, this is the most important aspect of SWM.

Bacolod Mayor Monico Puentevella said the summit was held to inform the public that waste management is everyone's business and not just the concern of the local government.

He said everyone should help, especially the private sector.

Puentevella said they have a problem involving the dumpsite property in Felisa and have to find a solution.

The summit was attended by Coscolluela and the Anti Baha Alliance and representatives of the barangays and other stakeholders because solidwaste management is everybody's concern, he said.*CGS

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