SABLAN, Benguet — The municipal government here said it is not against hosting the multi-million-peso engineered sanitary landfill of Baguio City, provided that its establishment will pass through the required procedures and it is done above board.

One of the major requirements for the setting up of the sanitary landfill in Alimang, Palali, Poblacion here is for the city government to secure the social acceptance of the affected communities where the project will be located.

What is important is for the city government to be transparent about the project, according to local officials, whereby they must be able to present the whole plan for the affected people to understand and appreciate.

More importantly, the local government pointed out the plan must be able to disabuse the mind of people that an engineered sanitary landfill is like the controversial 5.2-hectare Irisan open dumpsite.

Earlier, several communities in this fifth-class town expressed concern that the construction of an engineered sanitary landfill in their area will produce leacheate that may pollute their sources of potable water supply that could cause serious illnesses.

According to concerned local officials, the environmental issue of the sanitary landfill project is one aspect which must be explained thoroughly by the project proponents since not everyone has seen a sanitary landfill.

While several landowners in the town expressed willingness to lease some of their properties for the city’s landfill project, municipal officials claimed they have yet to be officially informed about the matter and the city government must also submit their proposals for the environmentally critical project.

The local officials claimed they are supportive of the project provided that it will be in accordance with existing guidelines imposed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) so that all sectors which have concerns and fears on the project will be properly addressed.

Mayor Bonifacio Tacio said that while he supports projects that will help produce additional revenue for the municipal government, Baguio City officials must learn to sit down with them in order to address pressing concerns relative to the project rather than send emissaries who could not even decide on important issues being raised against the landfill project.

Despite the offer made by some land owners for their properties to be used as a site for the city’s sanitary landfill, no city official has approached the municipal government to show their desire in pursuing the construction of the landfill in a place within the area of jurisdiction of the municipality.

Tacio pointed out that in the absence of reciprocity and sincerity, they could not effectively and efficiently discuss development projects that would benefit both proponents and the host communities.