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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Visayas devider Victorias City drops bid to use Bacolod sanitary landfill

Victorias City drops bid to use Bacolod sanitary landfill

Published Jul 8, 2026 09:52 pm
BACOLOD CITY — The city government of Victorias in Negros Occidental has officially withdrawn its request to dispose garbage in this highly-urbanized city's sanitary landfill following strong public opposition, particularly from residents of Barangay Felisa here.
Victorias City Mayor Abelardo Bantug III announced on Wednesday, July 8, that he had sent a formal letter to Bacolod Mayor Greg Gasataya withdrawing the proposal, saying he respected the concerns raised by Bacolod residents.
“Ako ang nagpangayo sini, kag ako man ang nagabawi (I was the one who asked for this and I'm the one who took it back),” Bantug said in a statement posted on social media.
Bantug explained that the proposal was intended as a temporary solution after Victorias' previous waste disposal arrangement with a neighboring local government unit (LGU) ended.
He said the city is working on its own sanitary landfill, which is expected to become operational by 2027.
Bantug emphasized that the request complied with Republic Act No. 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, which allows LGUs to share waste management facilities.
He said that the proposal involved only one mid-sized compactor truck, or about 10 cubic meters of residual waste per month, despite documents allowing up to 30 cubic meters.
According to Bantug, the volume of waste Victorias intended to bring was minimal compared to the amount of garbage received daily at the sanitary landfill in Barangay Felisa. "Our request was legal and small. It was transparent, temporary, and paid for," he said.
Despite defending the legality and limited scope of the proposal, Bantug said he would not allow the issue to strain the long-standing relationship between Victorias and Bacolod. He stressed that the best solution is not conflict but action.
He assured Victorias residents that garbage collection would continue without interruption and urged households to strengthen waste segregation and recycling efforts.
Bantug thanked Gasataya, the Bacolod Solid Waste Management Board, and the City Environment and Natural Resources Office for their willingness to assist and observing legal procedures.
He said he respects ongoing deliberations of the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP).
The proposal was made last November 2025 but was criticized by environmental groups and residents who raised concerns over potential impact on health, the environment, and this city's existing waste management challenges. People also said that Bacolod should not become a dumping site for other LGUs.
Gasataya acknowledged the public's concerns and reiterated that the welfare of Bacolod residents remains the city's priority.

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