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By Francis Earl B. Cueto, Reporter
THE Rizal Provincial Government on Monday asked
the Metro Manila Development Authority to start looking for
alternate dumps, as they appear lukewarm for requests of another
three-month extension.
In a message sent to The Manila Times, Rizal
Gov. Casimiro Ynares 3rd said he has done his ministerial job, which
was to forward the letter of MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando Jr.
seeking for a three-month extension for the use of the 19-hectare
facility.
“I forwarded the request to the provincial
board for consideration. In the meantime, I suggested to the MMDA to
look for alternative dumps to dispose of its garbage,” he said.
The letter, received by Ynares only Monday
morning, is asking for additional time as the MMDA has yet to remedy
the garbage problem.
Yñares said he tossed the ball over to the
Sangguniang Panlalawigan to decide, since it is the collegial body
that granted the extension in the first place. It is also the same
composition that debates and votes on such requests.
The MMDA was already given a six-month extension
that expired on May 6.
Police workers have been constantly guarding the
19-hectare facility not allowing trucks to dump garbage into it.
Earlier, the Rizal province informed the MMDA
that their extension for the use of the facility had already expired
as of Monday.
The provincial government also informed the MMDA
Chairman that the six-month period given to Metro Manila local
governments to use the landfill had expired.
The MMDA earlier asked the provincial government
to extend the use of the landfill.
The request was accommodated to avert what was
then a looming garbage crisis in Metro Manila.
Ynares said the provincial board allowed the
MMDA to use the 19-hectare landfill for a limited period of six
months that began in Nov. 6, 2007.
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