Thrash collectors to work 8 hours a day

CEBU, Philippines - A stricter rule on the attendance of garbage personnel will be followed after the Cebu City Council approved the allocation of P12.7 million for the additional honorarium of the city’s garbage personnel for 2011.

Cebu City Councilor Eduardo Rama, chairman of the committee public service, said the garbage collection personnel will receive additional honoraria provided they report to work at least eight hours a day.

The City gave financial assistance to 58 barangays to augment the honorarium of their garbage collection personnel so that each collector would receive P5,000 a month.

Rama, in his proposal which was approved by the Council, said that “majority of these garbage collection personnel are receiving a little amount of honorarium from their respective barangays.”

The additional pay for garbage collectors, truck drivers and loaders will be paid by the Cebu City Government on top of the honorarium paid by the barangays.

The Council also directed the Department of Public Services (DPS) to monitor closely the attendance and performance of participating barangays.

Rama said the daily time record shall be signed and approved by the Department Head of the DPS.

The garbage collectors in the barangay also help in the City’s collection of garbage because the city has only 17 garbage trucks.

Rama said the City already allocated P146.5 million for the purchase of new garbage trucks and heavy equipment.

The City allocated between P60 million to P70 million to buy eight compactor trucks, which have a bigger capacity than conventional garbage trucks. —  (FREEMAN)