Leave garbage collection, transport to barangays - Nida

CEBU, Philippines - The collection and transfer of garbage to a private landfill in Consolacion are best left to the barangays.

Councilor Nida Cabrera said this to justify the resolution she proposed asking Mayor Michael Rama to rescind the contract with Armed Builders for the rental of equipment being used to haul the garbage of the city to the transfer station in Inayawan before these are diverted to Consolacion.

Cabrera said the barangays cannot depend on the city forever.

Barangays that bring their garbage to the transfer station are mostly from the South District.

The recommendation to rescind the contract is an offshoot of the report of Landfill Manager Randy Navarro that the contract with Armed Builder is disadvantageous to the city government.

Navarro said earlier that the city pays for the rental of trucks of over P3,000 per day, yet the use of the equipment are not maximized due to various reasons.

He said the garbage trucks can only make one to two trips per day to Consolacion instead of three trips per day as agreed.

The provision that the heavy equipment must do three trips per day is however not categorically provided in the contract.

Navarro said the city can save if the mode of payment will be on a per trip basis instead of per day.

Cabrera said however that it is better to let the barangay transport their garbage to Consolacion directly so the city will no longer have to operate the transfer station.

It is about time, Cabrera said, since the barangays have received brand new garbage trucks from the city government.

She recommended that the fuel allocation of barangays for garbage trucks be increased to improve their efficiency.

Considering that the city is currently short of fuel supply, she said the P14 million unused funds of the P24 million budget supposedly for the year-long rental of heavy equipment for the transfer station may be realigned to the fuel for barangays.

Solid Waste Management Board Presiding Officer and lawyer Janeses “Jade” Ponce said the matter needs a study and further discussion.  (FREEMAN)