The operation of the much delayed P300 million Alburquerque Cluster Sanitary Landfill (ACSLF) remains uncertain even as the “partial turn-over of documents” was received pending compliance of conditions set by the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Alburquerque.
Mayor Efren Tungol signed the partial turn-over of four units of heavy equipment from Atty. Guiller Asido, Chief Operating Officer in behalf of the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority on April 25, 2016.
However, the heavy equipment were “conditionally accepted” pending correction of deficiencies noted in the inspection report dated May 13, 2016 of the LGU Municipal Inspectorate Team.
On May 16, 2016, Tungol sought the assistance of the Equipment Inspection Section of the Commission on Audit (COA) Region Vll to conduct audit/inspection on the heavy equipment delivered by TIEZA barely a month ago.
Tungol expressed concern on the quality of the hydraulic excavator, vibratory compactor, two Izuzu ten wheeler dump truck with models 1992 and 1990 respectively.
According to tests conducted by the LGU Inspectorate Team, the Caterpillar vibratory compactor failed to vibrate with a broken door while the condition of the two aging Izuzu dump trucks were doubtful.
Also, the Inspectorate Team found that the Volvo Backhoe had a damaged muffler and a cracked fuel tank cover while the dump trucks batteries were drained and damaged.
Asido assured Tungol that the inspection and certification of the landfill equipments in “good running condition” – one backhoe, two dump trucks and the vibratory compactor which are all reconditioned are to be done by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
The results of the equipment technical inspection will guide the LGU “in making decisions in the future” with regards to the ACSLF), according to Tungol.
The LGU also sought compliance of the downloading of P20 million for the additional scope of works covering phase lV to include perimeter fence, access road to the landfill site, rehabilitation of aviary, weighbridge and landscaping/land development for the full completion of the project.
The  ACSLF located in Barangay Dangay, Alburquerque was scheduled to be completed on April 12, 2015 but TIEZA and Alburquerque are still at loggerheads over the integrity and quality of the project.
Phase lll was started on September 15, 2014 and was contracted to Lourel Development Corporation for P55.8 million to be completed in 210 days.
Expressing serious concern over the integrity and quality of the ACSLF, Tungol said “as end user together with 10 other LGU’s a slip up in the construction our people will suffer”.
Short of begging for TIEZA to do its job of properly monitoring the pace and quality of the ACSLF project, Tungol appealed that “the project be properly implemented in accordance with the approved specifications and standards otherwise our constituents will suffer the consequences it might bring to us and even worse to the next generation”.
The delayed completion of the ACSLF sitting in an 18 hectare area in Dangay, Alburquerque with 8 hectares actually occupied by the landfill is now considered in the tail end of more than 10 years of controversies.
TIEZA, has been plodding towards the final completion of the project while the LGU of Alburquerque, as the end user is in full alert mode to ensure that the landfill they are mandated to operate fully complies with the stringent requirements of environmental laws and regulations.
Tungol told TIEZA that before the LGU accepts the project, they have to pass the stringent review of the Commission on Audit and the Alburquerque Monitoring Inspectorate Team.
The completion of the cluster landfill has been keenly awaited by the eleven municipalities – Balilihan, Corella, Cortes, Dauis, Lila, Loboc, Maribojoc, Panglao, Sikatuna, Panglao and Tagbilaran City that agreed to put up a common landfill in Albur with Tagbilaran City and Panglao now approaching a critical level in their garbage disposal.
Additional towns have signed on with the ACSLF with towns as far as Anda indicating growing concern on the state of their garbage disposal management. (Chito M. Visarra)