CEBU, Philippines - The City Council has approved the P500 increase in the honorarium of 280 environment officers in 56 barangays.
With the increase, the environment officers would now receive P2,000.
Councilor Nida Cabrera, chairperson of the Council’s committee on environment, said the Council approved the increase without objections because the environment officers have been effective in their jobs.
The barangay environment officers are tasked to ensure the implementation of the Solid Waste Management Act. So far, Cabrera said, they have managed to separate 75,000 tons of compostable wastes from the Inayawan Sanitary Landfill and converted the same into organic fertilizers.
They have also launched information campaigns on proper segregation of garbage, as well as enforced punitive laws in relation to the anti-littering ordinance as deputized members of the Cebu City Environment Sanitation and Enforcement Team (CESET).
Those who are caught throwing garbage in public places may be fined with P500.
“The BEO are of great help in addressing and solving the city’s perennial problem on garbage and divereted compostable wastes,” Cabrera said.
Mayor Michael Rama also approved the increase, which will take effect this month. Cabrera proposed to charge the increase to the city’s annual budget as the P2.5 million for their honoraria is no longer enough to cover the increase. – (FREEMAN)