The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Laguna has finally put its foot down on the controversial landfill issue in the town of Calauan, an issue that has divided local officials, residents and environmental groups.
In a special session last April 8, the provincial board unanimously expressed its opposition to the operations of the proposed sanitary landfill with waste-to-energy facility in this town.
The 84-hectare project in Barangay Imok, near the town's border with San Pablo City, has drawn negative comments from nearby residents, as well as some local government officials, due to its potential costs to the environment.
No objection
It should be noted that no member of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan objected to a report by the Committee on Housing and Land Use led by Board Member Tuti Caringal, recommending that the permit granted by the Sangguinang Bayan of Calauan for the landfill’s development be “nullified.”
The permit, which was granted by virtue of Municipal Ordinance No. 03-12-2026 passed by the Calauan local council last March 11, would have given South Luzon Waste Management Corporation the go-ahead for the project.
Board Member Bong Bejasa from Binan City, one of the members of the Committee on Housing and Land Use, said the recommendation was made on the failure on the part of the local government of Calauan and the project developer to comply with requirements for the project.
“Marami po kasi silang hindi nakumpleto at na-comply na requirement,” was how Bejasa explained it in an exclusive interview with OpinYon Laguna.
Noting the project’s proximity to the famed “Seven Lakes” of San Pablo City, as well as its possible impacts on the lives of residents living near the proposed area, Bejasa said these factors have placed the scale in favor of those opposing the project.
The decision also followed intensified calls from various sectors, including residents, environmental groups, and stakeholders, who raised concerns over its potential impacts on the health and environment.
Bejasa also pointed out that public sentiment against the project also weighed heavily on the board’s decision to nullify the local ordinance permitting the construction of the landfill.
“Very important ‘yung sentiment ng mga tao [laban sa proyektong ito],” he told OpinYon Laguna.
Officials opposed
The project was also opposed by Board Member Karla Adajar Lajara, one of the members of the Committee on Housing and Land Use.
"Hindi rin maaaring balewalain ang banta sa mga lupang sakahan at kabuhayan ng mga magsasaka. Kapag naapektuhan ang lupa at tubig, direktang apektado ang pagkain at kabuhayan ng buong komunidad,” the board member was quoted as saying last February.
Even Governor Sol Aragones had already expressed her personal opposition to the proposed landfill even before protests escalated.
In an emergency meeting with opposing groups and Provincial Board members, she firmly stated her disapproval of the 84-hectare project in Calauan.
Aragones emphasized the importance of weighing the project’s long-term effects, particularly on agriculture, community safety, and Laguna’s growing eco-tourism sector.
She stressed that development should never come at the expense of the environment and public welfare.
Bejasa, on the other hand, added that the Sangguniang Panlalawigan’s objection to the landfill project will be considered as “final,” although “as a matter of process,” the developer of the landfill and the Sangguniang Bayan of Calauan can still appeal the decision.
(With reports by Catherine Go, Jeremy Rago and Ace Fernandez)
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