BACOLOD CITY — The provincial government of Negros Occidental is set to build a PHP30-million common sanitary landfill in La Castellana town to serve nine local government units (LGUs) as part of its efforts to improve solid waste management across the province.
According to Philippines News Agency, the landfill is a key initiative under the province’s 10-year Solid Waste Management (SWM) Plan, which recently received approval from the National SWM Commission. The clustered LGUs that will benefit from this project include Pulupandan, Valladolid, San Enrique, Pontevedra, Hinigaran, Binalbagan, Moises Padilla, Isabela, and the host municipality of La Castellana, all of which currently lack waste disposal facilities. The construction of the landfill is expected to be completed by November 2024.
Among the 19 municipalities in Negros Occidental, only Murcia has so far established its own sanitary landfill, which opened in June with support from the provincial government. Murcia’s landfill is the 12th solid waste management facility in the province, joining those already operational in various cities.
Sanitary landfills are the primary long-term waste disposal method authorized under Republic Act 9003, also known as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000. These facilities are designed, constructed, and maintained with strict engineering controls to minimize environmental impacts associated with waste disposal.