Marikina residents want dumpsite closed
By Marvin Sy
Publish Date: Friday, August 23, 2002
Philippine Star

Residents of a barangay in Marikina City picketed the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) office yesterday to demand the immediate closure of their city’s dumpsite.

The rallyists, under the flag of the Samahan Kapatiran ng Doña Petra, demanded that MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando honor the cease-and-desist order issued by the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) against the Marikina dumpsite.

Anita Paway, spokesperson of the group, said there are more than 1,000 residents situated in the area of Doña Petra in Barangay Concepcion Uno where the dumpsite is located.

Paway claimed the lives of the residents are endangered by the operation of the dumpsite because of the methane gas being emitted by the garbage and by the leachate flowing into the residential area.

"The operation of the dumpsite is illegal because of the LLDA order and the expansion of the site," she said. Paway added that the city government is set to demolish their homes as part of the expansion of the dumpsite.

Fernando, the former mayor of Marikina City, explained that the cease-and-desist order of the LLDA was no longer valid as a result of recent events.

He said the dumpsite was temporarily closed in 1995 when the order was issued, but due to the permanent closure of the San Mateo landfill in Rizal, local government units were granted the authority to operate their own dumpsite until such time that a permanent landfill is developed. (in the first place the creation of the dumpsite is illegal)

Fernando also defended the demolition of the homes of the squatters which he initiated during his nine-year term as mayor.(how about the residence of the near by subdivisions? we are also affected by the operation of the dumpsite.)– Marvin Sy

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