TARLAC CITY – Regardless of the anti-landfill furor that is now snowballing in the province, an official of the Clark Development Corporation (CDC) has admitted that the state-owned firm is committed to "protect" the foreign consortium that will pursue the controversial multimillion-dollar, 100-hectare project in Barangay Kalangitan, Capas, Tarlac.

"We need this project and the German investor, which we protect because of the income," said Juan Miguel Fuentes, CDC’s environment officer.

The 25-year build-operate-transfer (BOT) contract for the proposed sanitary landfill was awarded by the CDC to a German firm called Ingenieurburo Birkhahn+Nolte Ingenieurgesellschaft mbH, which describes itself as a "company engaged in engineering consulting services specializing in waste management." The firm boasts of having constructed and handled landfills across Europe.

Short of admitting that it is losing in the public opinion war, the CDC has tapped the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) here to organize local newsmen in a "press briefing" last Thursday for the state-owned company’s media blitzkrieg.

The media affair, held at the expensive Fortune Restaurant along the MacArthur Highway in this city, was also aired live over local radio station, dzTC-AM, which is owned by business tycoon Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco Jr., and had a delayed telecast over a local cable TV station.

But the newsmen’s gathering had a twist when around 500 anti-landfill demonstrators staged a "lightning picket" in front of the restaurant and prevented some reporters from joining the affair.

The rallyists were composed mostly of students from Capas, and were led by priests, nuns and teachers belonging to the broad anti-landfill coalition called Lakas, Unyon at Sandigan ng mga Oposisyon sa Basura (LUSOB). They were also joined by militants from the left-leaning Bagong Alyansang Makabayan-Tarlac, Bayan Muna and Alyansa ng mga Magbubukid sa Tarlac.

The misunderstanding between some reporters here and the rallyists was pacified when Capas Mayor Rey Catacutan, an anti-landfill advocate, suddenly appeared.

The mayor apologized for the unruly behavior of some of the demonstrators, pointing out that "the CDC must understand that its unqualified bias to the German company and utter disregard to the people’s health and well-being in obstinately pursuing this environmentally harmful project has made this a very emotional issue."

On the other hand, Fuentes, in his fervent defense of the controversial project, charged that those who are opposing the proposed landfill are "either uninformed or misinformed."

Notably, however, all the anti-landfill leaders in the province – composed of priests, nuns, teachers, elected officials and militant activists – have already participated in the CDC’s public consultations on the issue and were already informed on what modern technologies the German consortium will adopt in the project.

Fuentes nonetheless insisted that the proposed landfill is "safe" and that the contractor has a record of complying with German engineering standards. He further claimed that the project has already complied with all the requirements stipulated by the law.

But when prodded if the CDC will still continue with the project’s implementation should the anti-landfill movement further intensifies in the province, Fuentes short of admitted that the State-owned firm is not prepared for such a scenario.

"I admit, I am at a loss," he said, fueling speculations that the CDC has already made commitments with the German firm and could be as well prepared to disregard popular opinion against the proposed landfill.

On the other hand, Pete Galang, head of the CDC’s special projects arm, admitted that they may have had some shortcomings in the "information dissemination campaign" for the project.

He claimed that Catacutan could have had also been slighted when the CDC started construction works in the proposed site in Barangay Kalangitan in Capas without first consulting his office.

But even before Catacutan was elected as mayor in the 2001 mid-term elections, he has already staunchly opposed the landfill project in the provincial board, where he was a member. In fact, a mammoth demonstration in February last year even compelled Gov. Jose Yap Sr. to sign a covenant that his administration will oppose the project.

However, shortly after the 2001 polls, wherein Yap ran for reelection and won, the governor flip-flopped in his anti-landfill stand, as he directed the provincial board to hold "public consultations" on the issue.

Meanwhile, the anti-landfill LUSOB and its affiliates vowed to counter the CDC’s pro-landfill media blitzkrieg.

"Unlike the CDC which uses taxpayer’s money in launching print and broadcast media campaigns to fool the people in favor of the German consortium, our commitment to protect our environment and our children from the dangers of the landfill will compensate for our lack of resources," said LUSOB leaders. – Erlie I. Duduaco, Rachelle Tayong, Carlos Philip Gatdula IV and Benjie Villa