THE Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) said on Thursday that the redevelopment of the 100-hectare landfill in Tarlac serving the Clark is expected to result in the creation of 30,000 jobs.
In a statement, the state-owned corporation said that it has presented to Tarlac’s local government units (LGUs) its plans to redevelop the Kalangitan sanitary landfill once it is turned over and decommissioned.
“The 100-hectare landfill area will be rezoned under our New Clark City Master Development Plan,” BCDA President and Chief Executive Officer Joshua M. Bingcang said.
“We estimate about 30,000 jobs to be generated from the industrial redevelopment of the area,” Mr. Bingcang added.
The BCDA said that LGUs in Tarlac have expressed support for the redevelopment of the sanitary landfill in Capas, Tarlac, into a “more productive and high-impact project that will accelerate growth in the province and provide jobs to more Filipinos.”
“Governor Susan A. Yap, as well as Capas Mayor Roseller B. Rodriguez, welcomed the BCDA’s plan, noting the economic impact on the people of Tarlac,” it added.
The landfill is operated under a 25-year contract between the BCDA and Metro Clark Waste Management Corp. (MCWMC) which will end in October.
The BCDA’s statutory counsel, the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel, has rendered an opinion that extending the contract would violate the Build-Operate-Transfer Law, the regulatory framework in force when the project was awarded.
“Moreover, the BCDA maintains that a sanitary landfill is no longer consistent with the government’s vision of transforming New Clark City into a premier investment and tourism destination,” the BCDA said earlier.
In preparation for the end of MCWMC’s contract, the BCDA has identified available facilities that Tarlac LGUs may tap to address the province’s solid waste management requirements.
Earlier, BCDA Chairman Delfin N. Lorenzana identified three facilities in Pampanga that may replace the Kalangitan landfill — Eco Protect Management Corp.’s sanitary landfill, Florida Blanca Enviro Park Project Corp.’s sanitary landfill, and Prime Integrated Waste Solutions, Inc.’s materials recovery facility.
Together, the three waste management facilities have a daily capacity of 11,000 metric tons, which Mr. Lorenzana said will be sufficient for the requirements of the LGUs in the Clark area.
“The BCDA and Provincial Government of Tarlac also discussed the initiatives undertaken by both parties to modernize solid waste management services in the province,” the BCDA said. — Justine Irish D. Tabile
