By MERLINDA A. PEDROSA

Alyansa Kontra Basura lead convenor Wennie Sancho has requested the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod to officially acknowledge Victorias City’s withdrawal of its proposed memorandum of agreement (MOA) for waste disposal at a landfill in Barangay Felisa.

Sancho has requested the SP to declare the MOA null and void, stating the agreement should not be revived or implemented in any form.

“The people of Barangay Felisa and other affected communities expressed grave concern over environmental, health and social impact and manifested opposition through consultations, position papers and peaceful assembly,” Sancho said in his letter to Bacolod Vice Mayor Claudio Puentevella on Monday, July 13.

Sancho said the SP should act on the matter to prevent any future confusion or revival of the same proposal.

“We make this request not out of ill-will against Victorias City, but out of love for Bacolod City and the duty to protect the health of our communities, our water sources and the future of our children,” Sancho said.

The proposed agreement for the acceptance of residual waste from Victorias at the Bacolod sanitary landfill was brought to public attention last week.

Victorias City Mayor Abelardo “Junb” Bantug III earlier withdrew the city’s request following concerns raised by residents in Barangay Felisa, where the dumpsite is located.

Bantug explained that Victorias sought access to Bacolod’s sanitary landfill after its long-standing waste disposal agreement with a neighboring local government unit ended, leaving the city in need of a temporary and environmentally compliant alternative while its own sanitary landfill is being constructed despite the legality of the proposal.

“I will not allow it to become a source of conflict between two cities that have long been like brothers,” Bantug said, adding that preserving the relationship between Victorias and Bacolod was more important than pursuing the agreement./MAP, WDJ