Disaster Body Wants Immediate Transfer of 20 Families in Inayawan Trash Dump

The Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CCDRRMC) has recommended the “immediate” relocation of over 20 families living near a big mountain of trash at the Inayawan Sanitary Landfill in Sitio Dumpsite, Barangay Inayawan, saying that it is a disaster waiting to happen.

Cebu City Councilor David Tumulak, CCDRRMC chairman, said that this finding is based on the result of the inspection conducted by the disaster team last month after Inayawan Barangay Captain Lutherlee “Lot-Lot” Ignacio-Soon requested them to assess the area.

Tumulak said the houses are in danger of being buried under a 20-meter high pile of garbage, massive fire of dried out garbage and a possible explosion of accumulated methane gas deposits.

The request to conduct inspection in the area was made after Soon discovered the construction of a seawall in the area.

Soon said that the construction lead to the removal of rocks that serve as the foundation of the mountain of garbage in the landfill, making a trash slide imminent.

The 15-hectare waste facility was closed in January after it reached its maximum capacity.

Soon has proposed to the city government to purchase a 21,000-square meter lot in Sitio San Isidro Labrador for the relocation site of the affected families.

But the lot is mired in a dispute between two parties who claim to own the property.

In 2012, the city government also started negotiating with the heirs of Ana Abangan for a 2.1-hectare lot in Barangay Inayawan for socialized housing worth Php70 million.

It includes the area referred to by Soon as the relocation site of the affected families.

However, heirs of a certain Amando Abangan also claim to be the real owners of the lot.

Tumulak said that the residents can also choose from the different relocation sites of the city government. (PNA) FPV/EB/EDS