ABOUT THE METRO MANILA'S GARBAGE PROBLEM:
A Commentary

By Dr. Cesar D. Candari
Chairman, Pandan Antique Foundation

A hot topic about what to do with Metro Manila's trash problem is under consideration by the Metro Manila Management Authority (MMDA). Remember the recent Payatas and the Smokey Mountain's sad stories about their garbage? Now the San Mateo landfill in Rizal province will be closed by the end of the year and Manila's garbage must be dumped somewhere. No municipality near Manila would agree to being the garbage dump, no matter how much bribe was offered to them. Therefore, the Manila garbage must be dumped elsewhere. It was reported that the Philippine government has earmarked P1billion to fund the operations of a proposed disposal facility to be operational on January 1, 2001.

Now the crux of the matter! The MMDA plans to use the island of Semirara of Caluya town, in the province of Antique, as the new dumping ground for the trash. Semirara Island is only a few kilometers away from Pandan Bay, the hometown of this writer. It is a breath away from the world-famous Boracay Beach Resort in Aklan province. ... full story on page 2

OTHER ARTICLES

OPEN LETTER: WE OPPOSE THE PLANNED SEMIRARA DUMPSITE FOR MANILA'S GARBAGE
We, the Pandan Antique Foundation, Inc. (PAF) and Pagtatap USA, based in California, and the Pagtatap Foundation, Inc. in Manila, Philippines, ... full story on page 3

EDITORIAL: CHRISTMAS ON A PILE OF GARBAGE
Alleluia! Christ is coming! Christmas is fast approaching. People are so occupied in Manila deciding what to do with their garbage. ... full story on page 4

FEATURE: DREAM INTERRUPTED
By Aurora I. Toldoya, California USA

Some years from now, when I am 65 and older, I want to spend my remaining years in our small town of Pandan. ... full story on page 5

PERSONAL PLEA TO THE GOVERNOR
By Thelma Mantac Ramos, Washington USA

This letter is about the proposed dumpsite in Semirara for MMDA's garbage that I was recently made aware of by Pandan, Antique's organizations here in the USA. ... full story on page 6

SPECIAL ISSUE

December 10, 2000

Volume 1, Issue 3