The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has committed to finish the construction of an engineered sanitary landfill in Marawi City, Lanao del Sur by the end of June.
DENR Acting Secretary Jim O. Sampulna said the establishment of a sanitary landfill in barangays Malimuno and Kasanayan in Kapai town, Lanao del Sur province, will help “protect the health of the Maranao children and guard against groundwater contamination.”
“DENR is moving forward toward the completion of an engineered sanitary landfill under its solid waste management program as prescribed in Republic Act (RA) 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2001,” Sampulna said in a speech read by Assistant Secretary for Field Operations-Western Mindanao Arleigh Adorable during the culmination program for the Marawi Week of Peace at Rizal Park, Marawi City on May 20.
Meanwhile, the land used as an open dumpsite in Barangay Papandayan will be rehabilitated and eventually be converted into good use.
Through RA 116961 or the Marawi Siege Victims Compensation Act of 2022, the DENR determined the most affected areas through social cartography or mapping as the lead agency in the Land Resource Management Sub-Committee of Task Force Bangon Marawi.
RA 116961 serves as “one of the information sources for updating post-conflict needs assessment,” according to DENR Assistant Secretary for Legal Affairs Michelle Angelica Go.
“These records also contributed to the mediation of claims and conflicts facilitated by the Land Dispute Resolution Committee and provided permanent shelter and allowed for the re-construction of land records of Marawi City,” said Go, who is also the head of the DENR Sub-Committee on Task Force Bangon Marawi.
The DENR also took part in facilitating the rebuilding of damaged properties while ensuring the authenticity of claims.
Under the program “Katagombalay,” the DENR has successfully validated 3,914 property claims so far, allowing owners to undertake reconstruction.
“The goal and strategy to achieve the outputs of the DENR’s role in Marawi rehabilitation is environmental peacebuilding, which is accompanied by achieving sustainable development goals,” Go said.
Peacebuilding is based on the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 70/262, which states that the “overarching goal is to reduce the risk of lapse or relapse into violent conflict by addressing the symptoms, but also the root causes of the conflict.” ###
