By ADELA DEYAEN WAYAS
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY‭ – ‬Mayor Mauricio Domogan on December‭ ‬20‭ ‬said that the Meralco Electric company provided the transformers needed to run the Environmental Recycling System‭ (‬ERS‭) ‬machines of the city.

This was revealed during the media briefing after the installation of the ERS in Irisan dumpsite.‭ ‬He admitted the electric system caused the delay of the operation of the machines.‭ ‬Three transformers were bought by the city from Meralco to produce the‭ ‬167‭ ‬kva for the machines to be operational.‭

The Mayor said the‭ ‬City Environment and Parks Management Office‭ (‬CEPMO‭) ‬had passed a letter proposal dated November‭ ‬16‭ ‬on the electric system to be utilized‭ ‬for the operations of the ERS and‭ ‬Beneco asked for an electrical plan which was submitted‭ ‬by CEPMO on December‭ ‬13.‭

“Beneco said it would take them two to three months to fabricate the transformers.‭” ‬Domogan clarified.‭ ‬Being available and to avoid added delay the city procured the transformers from Meralco.
The transformers will arrive in the city night of December‭ ‬20‭ ‬and should be tested on the‭ ‬21st.‭ ‬The city would cost about P1.5‭ ‬million for the materials needed for the transformers and its installation.‭ ‬I hope the Beneco would expedite installing the transformers.

He added that in the agreement‭ ‬between the city and the STG Corporation,‭ ‬the company shall prepare extra spareparts at all times to be used on emergency situations.‭

Domogan also informed the media that they are planning to buy electric generators‭ ‬as a reserve that could be used if the area is affected by brown-out/black-out or any problem in the power supply.‭

Three people from the CEPMO are now being trained by the personnel coming from the company on the operation of‭ ‬the machinery as also agreed on the contract with STG Corp.‭

Meanwhile Domogan said through volunteer registration,‭ ‬the residents living near the dumpsite could still segregate residual waste from the recyclable of which the company agreed to pay one peso per kilo from the residuals segregated by the person.‭ ‬The residents said Domogan can still sell the recyclables to other buyers or to the company itself.‭

Mayor also informed everyone that after they have cleaned the garbage at the dumpsite,‭ ‬they planned to landscape and reforest it.‭ ‬He said they will soon put up a tree nursery in the area.‭ ‬He added the water being processed by the machine will soon be‭ ‬pplanned for by the city government.‭ ‬He said the company had informed them that the water from the machine is clean.‭ ‬Domogan said it is also a project for the Carbon credit revenue as stated in the Kyoto Protocol.

It could be remembered that the ERS machines amounting to P64‭ ‬millions each was recommened by the‭ ‬City Solid Waste Management Board after a screening process.‭ ‬CEPMO head Cordelia Lacsamana said earlier that‭ ‬ERS could convert‭ ‬48‭ ‬tons of biodegradable wastes into fertilizer from the‭ ‬66%‭ ‬biodegradable waste the city is collecting from the‭ ‬160‭ ‬tons daily waste.‭ ‬In her presentation before the council session,‭ ‬Lacsamana said the two machines will consume‭ ‬794‭ ‬liters a day.‭

On a related isuue,‭ ‬Domogan also said that the P29‭ ‬million for the improvement of the retaining wall in Irisan was already approved and now being processed by the BAC.‭ ‬He also added that they are currently looking for‭ ‬5‭ ‬new garbage trucks.‭ ‬Each truck will more or less amount to P3.9‭ ‬million pesos.‭

As of press time,‭ ‬the transformers from Meralco have not yet arrived in the city.#‭ nordis.net