BACOLOD City — The Victorias City government has formally withdrawn its proposal to dispose of its residual waste at the Bacolod City sanitary landfill, effectively ending plans for an inter-local government waste disposal agreement following opposition from residents and environmental groups.
Victorias City Mayor Abelardo “JunB” Bantug III said he personally informed Bacolod City Mayor Greg Gasataya on Wednesday, July 8, that Victorias was withdrawing its request to enter into a memorandum of agreement (MOA) allowing the city to use Bacolod’s sanitary landfill in Barangay Felisa.
Bantug said he also submitted a formal letter withdrawing the proposal.
“I personally informed Mayor Gasataya that Victorias City is withdrawing its request to dispose of residual waste at the Bacolod sanitary landfill. I have also sent a letter formalizing this withdrawal. I was the one who requested it, and I am also the one withdrawing it,” Bantug said in a public statement.
The mayor explained that Victorias sought the arrangement after its previous waste disposal agreement with another local government unit expired, leaving the city in need of a temporary and lawful disposal site while it completes the construction of its own sanitary landfill, which is targeted to become operational by 2027.
He said the proposal was consistent with Republic Act No. 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, which allows local government units to share sanitary landfill facilities when constructing individual landfills is impractical.
Bantug clarified that while the draft agreement allowed Victorias to dispose of up to 30 cubic meters of residual waste per month, the city intended to transport only around 10 cubic meters monthly using a single mid-sized compactor truck.
Despite maintaining that the proposal was lawful, transparent, temporary, and fully funded, Bantug said the city decided to withdraw the request after listening to the concerns raised by Bacolod residents, particularly those living near the sanitary landfill in Barangay Felisa.
“Our request was legal and minimal, but I will not allow it to become a source of conflict between two cities that have long shared a brotherly relationship,” he said.
Bantug assured Victorias residents that garbage collection services would continue uninterrupted while the city fast-tracks the construction of its own sanitary landfill.
Gasataya thanked Bantug and Victorias officials for what he described as a productive dialogue on the proposed agreement.
“Victorias City formally withdrew its proposal yesterday afternoon. We value our continued partnership and trust that the strong ties between Bacolod and Victorias will remain,” Gasataya said.
With the withdrawal, the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod will no longer proceed with the scheduled public hearing on the proposed MOA.
Meanwhile, environmental advocates welcomed Victorias City’s decision, describing it as a victory for public participation in local governance.
In a statement, the Negrosanon Initiative for Climate and the Environment (NICE) said the withdrawal demonstrated the impact of citizen engagement in government decision-making.
“The people said no, and they were heard. Now is the time to work together,” the group said.
NICE also recognized the residents of Barangay Felisa for their sustained opposition, saying their efforts drew attention to longstanding concerns surrounding the city’s sanitary landfill.
While commending Victorias for withdrawing the proposal, the group urged the Bacolod City government to address existing waste management issues and fully implement the provisions of Republic Act No. 9003.
The organization likewise reiterated its opposition to waste incineration and renewed its call for a zero-waste system anchored on waste reduction, segregation at source, recycling, composting, and strengthened community-based solid waste management programs./PN
