Tomorrow, Friday, June 11, 2010, a ground-breaking ceremony for General Santos City’s P362 million SANITARY LANDFILL PROJECT will finally occur at its 63.3-hectare property in Barangay Sinawal!
The landfill project which is about 15 minutes from the city central was awarded to construction company R-II Builders and Philippine Ecology Systems Corporation Consortium. They have been contracted under a design-build-operate scheme which means that they will “design, build and operate a solid waste management and disposal facility”.
Click on the map below of the GenSan Sanitary Landfill Project for a larger view.
The project is funded by a soft loan from the World Bank’s (WB’s) support for strategic Local Development and Investment Project, which is coursed through the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP).
City Mayor Pedro Acharon Jr. and now congressman-elect for the First District of South Cotabato, who wants the implementation of the project before the end of his final term on June 30, 2010 revealed that the whole thing includes a Materials Recovery Facility or MRF, Sanitary Landfill and Waste Disposal Management System, and other support facilities for the correct disposal of the city’s and neighboring towns’ solid wastes.
Project Coordinator Engineer Nael Cruspero, City Planning Department Head said that work starts with the concreting of the 4 1/2 kilometer road leading to the landfill at Purok Cabuay, in the rolling hills of Sinawal. Then the construction firm would assume the construction, operation and management up to May 2013. [quote1]
Part of the task is to train assigned city government personnel on every aspect of project’s operation and maintenance.
The city also intends to secure the consortium’s assistance in preparing a closure plan for the old and current municipal solid waste disposal site in Barangay Tambler and lead to its progressive rehabilitation , Cruspero added.
As far as we are concerned, this GENSAN is only the 3rd city in Mindanao which will be having its own SANITARY LANDFILL, next to Davao and Surigao Cities. What makes this special is the fact that the Tuna Capital is the only one who will be running it together with the private sector is the DESIGN-BUILD-OPERATE scheme!
Tumpak!
Sayang na sayang talaga ang sana’y budget alotment for GenSan if she could have been a lone district already…since when did we hit 300,000 in population? I think it was in 1997 but not sure…who was the congressman then?
Ever wonder why Cities like Davao, Iloilo and Bacolod each have flyovers, modern airports and other big infrastructures? this is because of their ever active representatives in the congress? I believe that until our city becomes a lone district we Generals and nearby towns will remain under represented in the house of congress. Para tayong mga Bonjing na malaki na eh naka damit pambata pa rin…alam nyo yon? kakaloka! NOW NA
Nice thoughts, Toinks. I was not able to check na tama, 537,000 na pala ang population ng General Santos (Well, that explains the mountains of garbage for the landfill)! That is really true, dapat na ngang magkaroon ng DALAWANG districts sa GenSan.
My question is, why is this taking so long para maisabatas? Naunsa na man ni sila, Once na ang population ng isang city is 300,000; pwede nang mag-lone district. Ang tagal na nito ah, sayang ang budget oh! 😀
matuloy man o hindi, successful man o palpak ang binabalak nilang charter change sa hinaharap ay sana ituloy pa rin ni Congressman Jun Acharon ang bill na ito.
Very well said Mr.Toinks… Now na! The 2010 Census would serve as the basis for Congressman Acharon in filing the BILL. Kaya timing din! Magiging LEGACY to ni Congressman ACHARON
SULONG GENSAN!
Two (2) congressional districts for the city of General Santos is a brilliant idea! Now is the time to act. So this is a great challenge to Congressman Jun Acharon. We look forward for his action regarding this matter. This is a very very very important political tool for us Generals to be able move on to the next and even higher level of local development. Now Na!
Ganun din sa SOUTHCOT… To create another district to accomodate POL, TUPI and TAMPAKAN…
Pero at least dapat after 2010 Census, nag exceed na 500,000 population nila… =)
IMHO, a lone district for Gensan is not enough at this present time… Dapat matagal na tayo naging lone district…What we need to today is to have at best 2 legislative districts for GENSAN…. 600,000 more or less na po ang population ng GENSAN ngayon!
This is one of my recommendations on my thesis way back college … 1st District will be on NORTHEAST GENSAN while 2nd District will be on the SOUTHWEST Section of GENSAN – separated by the Silway River…. = )
Yup, Toinks. I think this option presents a win-win situation for both GenSan and towns of Polomolok, Tampakan, and Tupi. Probably, ang South Cotabato 1st District towns will be annexed to the 2nd District while GenSan will have its own.
I think this is a sound option. Nang ang GenSan would get what they should nang hindi naaagawan ang towns namin sa resources and government projects. 🙂
I second JR Lopez Gonzales’ motion. Indeed the city of General Santos must now separate from being part of South Cotabato’s 1st Congressional district. GenSan must now be a Lone District. It’s about time. NOW na!
It’s really a good thing that General Santos now is going to have a sanitary landfill thanks to Rep. Acharon. My prayer is that it will not only be GenSan that will benefit from Rep. Acharon’s assumption to power, but the rest of the 1st district of South Cotabato also. I feel uncomfortable in saying this but unfortunately, Tampakan, Polomolok, and Tupi are always left out in terms of projects from our congresspersons.
Once you topped in the GenSan Elections, it’s a sure hit you will be the new congressperson. How about little municipalities like us? I think it’s timely that congresspersons make a bill establishing General Santos as a LONE DISTRICT to prevent such unfair resources distribution.
What do you guys think?
Yeah I join with you all folks for the success of this huge project. And my hope is the same as yours that these assistance to us will not be wasted to some opportunistic individual. Its about time that we have to be transparent and honest all the time in every government projects will be put in our city. Our city deserves only the best…
Kudos to our “Pro – environment” Mayor and Congresswoman…
I’m praying for the success of this project…. para sa mas MAGANDANG GENSAN…
Ngayon na yun! = )
Now the city will have it’s own solid waste management system working. What about the waste water treatment facility? Waste water (sewerage) can be treated and can be used to water plants in our parks, playgrounds and other planters.
Design-Build-Operate?….sana hindi malagay sa alanganin ang mga Generals sa scheme na ‘yan…sana lang talaga…”R-II Builders and Philippine Ecology Systems Corporation Consortium should properly address the needs of everyone on everything without compromise.”
I really hope that this project will work without all the money dissapearing into the garbage. The World Bank will supervise. What Nationality will these people be? I have worked on World Bank Projects in Africa in the past and seen how it works. The donor countries supply the funds for the projects then the poorer countries get to supply the experts to run the show. These people were usually from Pakistan, India, Srilanka, Thailand etc, all countries famous for their honesty!
I really hope that this project goes as well as it is hoped for but a 4.5 km road will be the first money drain, who will the contractor be and how long will it take to build to the high standard that will be paid for it.
Sorry for being so scepticle but I have seen the World Bank people in action before.
Gen San really needs this type of investment so lets hope that all the funds go to the project and not into the pockets of individuals.
This is a solid example of the City Government of GenSan’s commitment to the environment.
Kudos to Mayor Jun Acharon, Jr and Representative Darlene Antonino-Custodio. Mabuhay ang mga taga-GenSan!