A TIEZA Engineering Team led by Noel Yambao had arrived in the province January 16, 2025 to conduct an inspection of the Sanitary Landfill in Albur.

Cong. Edgar Chatto thanked Mark Lapid, General Manager of the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) for his immediate response to the request for a team to be sent to Bohol.

Chatto had sought Lapid’s assistance after Mayor Don Buates brought operational concerns of the sanitary landfill to his attention.

Earlier, Chatto had advised Buates to convene the Albur Cluster Sanitary Landfill Facility Cluster Board to discuss the proposed temporary closure plan for rehabilitation purposes of the landfill.

He suggested for LGUs to meet and help address the issue on management and operations. These include efficient and sustainable operations, waste management processes, compliance with environmental policies and ensuring the protection of the health and safety of Albur citizens.

Chatto also said that the Provincial Government through the Bohol Provincial Environment Management Office (BPEMO) can provide technical support to the Albur Sanitary Landfill Cluster.

The TIEZA team, along with LGU Albur and BPEMO staff visited the landfill on January 17, 2025. 

They also met with Chatto following the inspection.

To recall, the facility was implemented at no cost to the Provincial Government and LGUs when Chatto was then governor.

He had secured funding through TIEZA, formerly the Philippine Tourism Authority, created through Republic Act No. 9593 or the Tourism Act of 2009 principally authored by Chatto and then Sen. Dick Gordon, for the construction and development of the sanitary landfill.

The residual waste facility met, for LGUs belonging to the cluster, the requirement under Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.

The law had set a deadline in March 2017 for local governments to close all open dumps and the segregation of wastes.

With the LGUs’ membership in the cluster, LGUs were spared from Ombudsman cases.

Opened in 2017, the cluster now serves 18 LGUs, including Albur, Antequera, Baclayon, Balilihan, Calape, Catigbian, Corella, Cortes, Dauis, Dimiao, Lila, Loay, Loboc, Loon, Maribojoc, Panglao, Sikatuna and Tagbilaran City.