MMDA urges LGUs, garbage firms to follow door-to-door scheme

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) urged yesterday Metro Manila’s cities and municipalities to strictly follow the door-to-door garbage collection policy to prevent flooding.

"This is the best way to prevent flooding because people will no longer leave their garbage at street corners or throw them in the creeks," MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando said yesterday.

The door-to-door garbage collection system is part of the Unified Approach on Solid Waste Management resolution approved by the Metro Manila Council (MMC) on Aug. 29, 2002.

However, of the 17 Metro Manila local government units (LGUs), four have yet to pass an ordinance to fully implement the Unified Approach on Solid Waste Management.

A check with the MMCA Secretariat showed that as of Jan. 15, 2004, Manila’s ordinance is still on its second reading while the ordinance for Caloocan, Valenzuela, and Pasig are still pending at the committee level.

According to Fernando, the city or municipal ordinance will empower the LGU to incorporate a garbage collection system in their contracts with garbage contractors.

In a separate interview, MMDA deputy chairman Cesar Lacuna added that while the mayors approved the MMC resolution in 2002, "the contracts with garbage contractors still do not indicate that garbage should be collected on a door-to-door basis."

"The system should be stipulated in the contract to compel the garbage collectors to follow it," Laguna said.

The door-to-door waste collection system requires contractors to have a weekly schedule of garbage collection.

The LGU will inform the households of the schedule and ensure that garbage is collected by the contractor.

For their part, residents are expected to properly prepare their garbage for pick-up and place the waste bags in front of their houses.

Fernando said that ideally, garbage should be picked up from residential areas twice a week, everyday in commercial areas, and 24 hours a day in wet markets.