Rama wants CESET deputies in barangays

CEBU, Philippines – Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama ordered the creation of barangay environmental office to fully implement the ecological solid waste management policies of the city down to the barangay level.

The officers of the environmental offices in the different barangays in the city shall be deputized to perform the powers and functions of the City Environmental Sanitation Enforcement Team (CESET).

CESET is the enforcement arm of the city that implements punitive measures and provisions of the anti-littering ordinance of the city.

It has the power to apprehend and penalize those that will be caught violating environmental policies. CESET is created by Executive Order No. 00-45 issued by then mayor Tomas Osmeña.

Rama said there should be five barangay environmental officers in each barangay who shall report directly to CESET and will be entitled of the P1,500 monthly honoraria.

Aside from the creation of BEO, Rama also added the implementation of Ordinance 2031 or the city's Solid Waste Management Act to the functions of CESET.

Ordinance 2031 prohibits among others the disposal of wastes that are not properly segregated especially the mixing of hazardous or special wastes with regular garbage. It also prohibits the disposal of garbage outside and beyond the scheduled day of collection.

Rama amended the composition of CESET which now includes both the chairmen of the Committee on Public Services and the Committee on Parks and Playground, Wildlife, Ecology and Environment as members.

Originally, there is only one representative from the Committee on Public Services, Environment Protection and Ecology but the committee was recently split into two.

Other members of CESET include the mayor as chairman, a representative from the private sector as the executive director and 12 others as members.

Meanwhile, Rama has appointed the members of the Cebu City Sports Center Management Committee.

Members are city consultant Nestor Alonso, Cebu City Division School Superintendent Rhea Mar Angtud, DepEd-7 Director Recaredo Borgonia, Vice-Mayor and Chairman of the Committee on Education Joy Augustus Young and Ricardo Ballesteros Jr. who is currently the Cebu City Sports Center Manager.

Former regional director Eladio Dioko of the defunct Department of Education, Culture and Sports will head the committee. (FREEMAN)