Cot. City pioneers in septage project

QUALITY ENVIRONMENT --- City Administrator Danda N. Juanday leads the ground breaking ceremonies of the P64-M Septage Management Project together with Assistant City General Services Officer and Interim Environment and Natural Resources Officer Engr. Crisanto B. Saavedra (right) and representatives from the USAID and Metro Cotabato Water District. (GILMHAR A. LAO / MINDANAO EXPOSE’)

COTABATO CITY --- This city government, in partnership with the Metro Cotabato Water District (MCWD) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) - Be Secure, spearheaded the ground breaking ceremonies of the P64 million “Septage Management Project” last December 5 at the old Malagapas dumpsite in Barangay Rosary Heights X.

Engr. Crisanto B. Saavedra, assistant City General Services officer and Interim Environment and Natural Resources officer, said it all started when the idea of a septage management program was presented to the late City Mayor Japal J. Guiani, Jr. and then city administrator Atty. Frances Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi.

“The then city mayor appreciated the idea, so he offered a partnership with the MCWD and invited them for a meeting at the city hall,” said Saavedra.

Saavedra said the city government of Cotabato and the MCWD have agreed to jointly undertake the protection and preservation of the city’s surface water and groundwater to prevent further deterioration of biodiversity and quality of life.

“We express our deepest thanks to the USAID Be Secure Project for extending technical assistance through the conduct of training and study tour at various areas,” he said.

Saavedra said the partners decided to utilize a fully mechanized facility.“It was followed by the drafting of the ordinance and identification of the site,” he said.

Saavedra added that the construction of the facility shall be undertaken by the City Engineering Office of the local government unit.

“A project construction monitoring team shall be established to monitor the progress of the project implementation during the construction phase. This PMT shall be distinct and independent from the regular project monitoring committee of the city government as their task is specifically for and limited to this septage management project only,” he said.

He added that the project implementation monitoring and evaluation team shall be composed of representatives from the City Planning and Development Office, General Services Office, MCWD, Office on Health Services, Environment Management Bureau - Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and the USAID – Be Secure.

City Administrator Danda N. Juanday said  the infrastructure components of the project have all the amenities that a septage treatment facility requires.

“These include fence enclosure with steel gates and perimeter lighting system, two units of guardhouse, administration building, garage/motorpool, parking area, treatment plant with laboratory building, mini-fish pond, road network, drainage system, organic garden, material recovery facility with vermi-composting facility, powerhouse, and a stockroom,” Juanday said.

City Mayor Atty. Frances Cynthia Guiani- Sayadi expressed her optimism on this newest achievement of the city government.

“This project is the first in Mindanao and also the first in the country using a fully mechanized facility to be operated through  partnership between the local government unit and the local water utility company,” she said.

Elias Salazar, provincial coordinator of the USAID Water Security for Resilient Economic Growth and Stability (Be Secure) Project said he is thrilled on the positive response of the city government and its partners on the implementation of the project.

“Indeed, this is a milestone for the city government of Cotabato,” he said.

Accordingly, the project operation includes regular collection of the septage, proper treatment of the septage, and the environmentally acceptable manner of disposal of the septage. The operation will be divided into five sections and septic tanks shall be desludged every five years. (GILMHAR A. LAO& ANNE B. ACOSTA / MINDANAO EXPOSE’)