ENVIRONMENTAL

It is the city’s inherent environmental characteristics, which has fuelled its present state of growth.  Environmental management measures are provided for the city’s terrestrial, natural scenic environment, water resource and urban and rural environments.  The protection and management of all these is the key towards sustaining the city’s growth and development.

 

Increasing population is putting a lot of stress on the environment, particularly on the volume of waste generated by the residents and the commercial establishments in the city.  Garbage collection in the city is being managed by the local government unit through the Parks and Plaza Division under the City Engineer’s Office.  The volume of solid waste is around 252 metric tons a week or an average of 36 metric tons a day.  Of the entire population, 73 percent of the households have access to solid waste collection, which is done on a daily basis.  Individual households particularly those in barangays that are hardly reached by garbage trucks dispose their garbage by dumping in an open area, while the limited number engage in backyard composting.  Toxic and hazardous wastes from hospitals are collected and disposed of in a separate dumpsite.

 

In addition, the City Government constructed a Materials Recovery Facility covering an area of 4,000 square meters with equipment to process mixed waste per day.  It is designed to receive, sort, process and store compostable and recyclable materials efficiently and in an environmentally-sound manner in compliance with RA 9003 or the Solid Waste Management Act, and is in line with the city’s action towards proper protection of the environment.

 

Tagaytay also suffers from the absence of a central sewerage system/waste water treatment systems.  Since these facilities require massive resources, the city resorts to using natural drainage and a tree-chamber (sealed) septic vault.