Eduardo Pontaoe
29 Sept 2006

On Punchline

Yes, there is gold in that hill of garbage. Having a landfill is easier said than done. Dumping garbage needs precautionary process and the mechanics on how to protect the environment and the people whose proximity to that landfill in Bayambang counts most. Right now, we don’t know how the operators of this landfill will proceed on such an operation of gigantic proportions.

“A secure landfill is a carefully engineered depression in the ground (or built on top of the ground) into which wastes are dumped. The aim is to avoid any hydraulic (water-related) connection between the wastes and the surrounding environment particularly groundwater. Basically, a landfill is a bathtub in the ground; a double lined landfill is one bathtub inside another”. “There are four critical elements in a secure landfill: bottom liner… leachate collection system… natural hydreologic setting and a cover”. “Most adapted is the natural hydreologic setting. To prevent the wastes from escaping, rocks are tightened (waterproofed). If leakage occurs, you want the geology to be as simple as possible so you can easily predict where the wastes will go. Then you can put down wells and capture the escaped wastes by pumping. Fractured bedrock is highly undesirable beneath a landfill because the wastes cannot be located if they escape. Mines and quarries should be avoided because they frequently contact groundwater”. “Clay liners… plastic liners… composite liners are quite unacceptable because of their susceptibility to chemicals. Clay liners problem is often fractured and cracked and some chemicals can degrade clay. Leachate collection system can clog up in less than 10 years. 1) they clog up from silt or mud 2) they clog up because of the growth of microorganisms in pipes 3) they can clog up due to chemical reaction leading to the precipitation of minerals in the pipes 4) the pipes can be weakened by chemical attack like acids, solvents and oxidizing agents and maybe crushed by the tons of garbage piled on them”.

SOURCE: Environmental Research Foundation P.O. Box 5036 Annapolis, MD 21403

Eduardo Pontaoe
29 Sept 2006

On wake up, Mr. Lim!

Shouting the top of your lungs to wake up The Benjie is not enough. The Benjie is a person devoid of feeling… numbed to the bones thru and thru. His ears are closed completely to reason. What you need, Mr. Lomibao, is a cauldron of boiling coconut oil or an Oklahoma cattle prod. I can’t guarantee but it might work.

Eduardo Pontaoe
29 Sept 2006

On Flooding in Dagupan

Mr. Darius Rayos:

Alright. When you go home to take a well-deserved vacation don’t you forget to bring with you a scuba gear in case the need arises. You need also a fishing rod when the situation demands that you wouldn’t go to the sea to try your luck but in front of your house. Would you?

These are the privileges that your esteemed mayor The Benjie had provided for Balikbayans like you to enjoy your stay. And if ever your CR at home is clogged you can go to the public market and use the toilet which you claimed as clean as the Texas prairie where you came from. However, if the end result of your glorification of The Benjie did not come to your expectations….I say, “clamp shut”.

Better luck next time…bud.