Bacolod to purchase lot for garbage facility

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — The Bacolod city council has authorized Mayor Evelio R. Leonardia to purchase a seven-hectare property that will be used as a waste disposal facility. A deed of conditional sale will be signed with the Dynasty Agricultural Corp., owner of the property in Barangay Felisa. The property is valued at P23.8 million, said acting Vice Mayor Greg G. Gasataya. Mr. Gasataya said the city has enough funds to pay an initial P20 million. The balance of P3.8 million will be paid within a year from the execution of the deed of conditional sale. Mr. Gasataya said the Bacolod Clean and Green Coordinating Action Team, which he chairs, asked the mayor to buy the property if the purchase price would not be more than its assessed value of P360 per square meter. The Lopez family, which owns Dynasty Agricultural Corp., had offered to sell the property for P600 per square meter, but agreed to lower the price to P340 per square meter. Mr. Gasataya said his committee believes there is an urgent need to purchase the property because the existing controlled dumpsite is projected to be filled up by August. The Lopez family had also allowed the city government to use their five-hectare lot in Brgy. Mandalagan as a dumpsite. — Chrysee G. Samillano, BusinessWorld