BY DAVE SUAN ALBARADO

The local government unit (LGU) of Albur has decided to temporarily shut down its sanitary landfill next month to address operational issues, including leaks of leachate, the fluid produced by decomposing waste. 

Mayor Don Richie Buates confirmed the closure following a meeting of the Municipal Solid Waste Management Council (MSWMC) on January 23, 2025. 

The decision, while anticipated, has met with resistance from several stakeholders, including the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), mayors from the cluster of municipalities utilizing the landfill, and Bohol Governor Aris Aumentado.

The MSWMC passed a resolution supporting the temporary closure, aiming for rehabilitation. 

A subsequent meeting with the cluster mayors is planned to discuss contributions towards the rehabilitation efforts, with Buates noting that the duration of the closure would depend on the availability of equipment.

The landfill, servicing 18 LGUs including Tagbilaran City, the largest garbage contributor, has been criticized for not properly managing leachate, which has been leaking outside the facility. 

Moreover, operational issues include the failure to cover waste with soil daily due to a lack of heavy equipment.

FLASHBACK IN 2017

After years of delays and controversy, the Alburquerque Cluster Sanitary Landfill is set to begin operations on Feb. 1, 2017, serving 16 towns and one city in the province.

The P300 million landfill, located in Barangay Dangay, was initially funded by the Philippine Tourism Authority, the predecessor of the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA). The project was plagued by issues including questionable accomplishment reports, aging equipment, and costly time overruns.

Then Bohol Gov. Edgar Chatto hailed the turnover and operation of the landfill as the “fulfillment of a concept hatched more than 10 years ago” to meet the waste disposal needs of the province. Chatto, who sourced funds for the project when he was a congressman, said the landfill will be the first cluster sanitary landfill in the country serving several municipalities.

However, former Alburquerque Mayor Efren Tungol clarified that the turnover will only involve a deed of donation from TIEZA of the 14 lots purchased for the construction of the landfill. Tungol, who was a municipal consultant for infrastructure, said the local government unit will only accept parts of the project that have satisfied stringent requirements.

The Commission on Audit has agreed to conduct a technical review of the landfill, while Engineer Mario Almosera, a consultant for the project, said the facility is “ripe for operation” and its effectiveness can only be measured through actual operation.

The landfill will serve 17 towns, including Tagbilaran City, which produces an estimated 30 tons of garbage daily. 

The towns will dispose of their residual wastes once a week, with Tagbilaran City given the option to dispose of its waste more than once a week.

The Alburquerque Cluster Board, headed by Tungol, has agreed to provide “seed money” for the operation and maintenance of the landfill, with each municipality to be assessed a disposal or tipping fee of P1,300 per ton.

According to the Waste Assessment and Characterization Study conducted by the Bohol Environment Management Office in 2015, the top three biggest daily residual waste generators are Tagbilaran City, Baclayon, and Panglao.

2025: TIME TO PLAN FOR BOHOL WASTE

In related news, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) of Bohol approved a long-delayed 10-year solid waste management plan on Tuesday. 

Board Member Aldner Damalerio stated that the delay was due to incomplete actions by some LGUs. 

The plan now ensures better management of the province’s waste, which amounts to nearly 500 tons daily, aligning with Bohol’s eco-tourism advocacy.

Amidst this, Tagbilaran City Mayor Jane Yap called an emergency meeting with the Solid Waste Management Office and major stakeholders to plan waste management strategies, given Tagbilaran’s significant waste volume at the Albur facility. 

Mayor Yap committed to providing heavy equipment to assist in the landfill’s operations, with the provincial government also expected to contribute machinery.

The Albur Sanitary Landfill, managed by both TIEZA and the local government, can handle up to 25 garbage trucks or 15.7 tons of waste per day from 17 municipalities, including Dauis and Panglao.