BAGUIO CITY – Mayor Mauricio Domogan Wednesday maintained that the city government has stopped using the Irisan facility as dumping ground and as transfer or sorting area for wastes in compliance with the Environmental Protection Order (TEPO) of the Supreme Court (SC).

The mayor dismissed reports of its alleged continued dumping at the site as untrue even as he invited critics to go to the site and "see for themselves."

The mayor said however that the city continues to use the Environmental Recycling System (ERS) machines stationed at the Irisan grounds to process the biodegradable wastes.

"The TEPO is clear that we have to cease and desist from dumping and using it as temporary holding or staging area for wastes and the use of ERS should not be considered as dumping as the wastes are converted into fertilizer and therefore are not dumped in the area," the mayor stressed.

He said the National Solid Waste Management Council and the Environmental Management Bureau of the Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) have inspected the dumpsite and will issue a report on their findings.

"But on our part, we know our responsibility to comply with the TEPO and we have done it and will continue to do so as it is consistent with the city's aim to clear and later rehabilitate the dumpsite," he said.

The SC in a resolution issued January 17 on the petition filed by Benguet Rep. Ronald Cosalan and other Benguet and Aringay, La residents, issued a Writ of Kalikasan and a TEPO against city officials led by Domogan and concerned city government offices on the use of Irisan dumpsite.

The city adopted new strategies to avoid disruption in waste collection particularly the use of existing materials recovery facilities in the various barangays to serve as sorting areas and pick-up points where recyclables will be sold and where residuals can be picked up by the Pro Tech Machineries.

The mayor also counted on the residents' cooperation by complying with the segregation policy.

City environment and parks management officer-in-charge Cordelia Lacsamana said they do not foresee any problem in the collection schedule as of now as the MRFs in the barangays have now been serving as transfer stations for the wastes collected and Pro Tech continues to haul out the residual wastes.

Meanwhile, Mayor Domogan stood by the beleaguered Lacsamana and CEPMO solid waste division chief Ruben Cervantes saying he has no plans of replacing them and remains confident over their capability to undertake the tasks assigned to them.

The two officials were the subject of a petition lodged by several Irisan residents calling for their removal from their posts due to alleged ineptitude.

"I don't think they are incapable. I can't say that I'm totally satisfied with their work but I know that they are trying their best and are working as hard as any of us here on the garbage problem. If things don't work out as we expect them to, it is not totally their fault," the mayor said.

He expressed hope that the petition would not dishearten the CEPMO officials but instead should serve as a challenge to them to "prove themselves" to the public.