600 personnel to sweep up after Sinulog

CEBU, Philippines - Around 600 personnel will be deployed to clean up the streets in Cebu City immediately following the Sinulog 2010 grand parade this coming January 17, particularly in the parade route.

This was revealed yesterday by engineer Dionisio Gualisa, the Department of Public Services head in City Hall.

 Gualisa who is co-chairman of the Cleanliness and Sanitation Committee of Sinulog 2010 said that he will also tap the services of the other departments.

This is to make sure that city streets, the carousel route in particular, will be cleaned up in a few hours after the revelry of the Sinulog festivities.

Aside from the personnel of the Department of Engineering and Public Works, Gualisa asks the City Environmental Sanitation and Enforcement Team to help them.

Gualisa has already assured that six dump trucks and two pay loaders from DEPW will be used during the massive cleanup in addition to their equipment.

DPS has 22 conditioned dump trucks and 2 pay loaders ready to haul the expected tons of garbage after the Sinulog festival.

Gualisa disclosed that they have also started their massive information campaign to remind vendors to put their trash in the proper place to make the street cleaners tasks easier and faster.

The DPS head said that they are going to distribute thousands of garbage bags during the festival for the vendors in the carousel route.

“Naghimo na ta og information campaign, unya duna tay i-distribute nga almost two thousand plastic bags ngadto sa mga vendors along the parade route,” Gualisa said.

Last year the DPS successfully cleaned the Sinulog route overnight, hauling away some 250 tons of garbage.

Meanwhile, Mayor Tomas Osmeña has again promised to give a sack of rice to each of the street cleaners and garbage collectors as incentive. He gave the same incentive last year.

“Andam ta muhatag nganong dili man, basta ato silang hatagan og tagsa ka sakong bugas kay limpyo gyud dayon ang dan human sa Sinulog,” Osmeña said. — Elly Bolonos/BRP   (FREEMAN NEWS)