Pasay residents dissatisfied with garbage collection service

Majority of Pasay City residents are dissatisfied with the city government’s garbage collection service, according to a recent survey conducted by the Pasay Solid Waste Management Office (SWMO).

SWMO chief Benjamin Reyes said the results of the survey showed the previous administration, led by then Mayor Allan Panaligan, still paid the same amount negotiated by Mayor Wenceslao Trinidad before he was suspended from office in September 2006.

“However, they allowed only few trucks to go around and collect garbage, so that the volume of garbage collected was much less than what these trucks used to pick up,” he pointed out.

The Ombudsman ordered the suspension of Trinidad and 10 other city officials for alleged grave misconduct after they were found administratively liable for circumventing laws on public bidding in the awarding of service contracts for garbage collection and disposal in their city.

The survey, which was conducted in the first week of July, had all the barangay captains and a representative for each household as respondents. Pasay’s population is approximately 425,000.

Reyes said they had a recent meeting with Trinidad and that they agreed that more trucks are needed in order to clean up almost all of the city’s streets.     

“The mayor wants the garbage collection to be done on a regular basis. He is very much concerned with this issue because this caused the mess at the city hall when he was suspended and later on, dismissed,” Reyes said.

Trinidad said “the much-publicized reduction in the amount of the contract for garbage services was found to be a sham, pure political propaganda.”

“The cost per truck remained the same though there was really no increase in the amount of garbage collected. Thus, contractors faced more garbage than they actually signed up for. As a result, there is uncollected garbage on our streets and sidewalks,” he added.

Trinidad said the previous administration “left the city literally stinking.”

Reyes identified the areas that should be cleaned up as soon as possible as Sun Valley on Airport Road; the front of Don Carlos Revilla Elementary School in Barangay 187; Ever Gotesco Terminal Area near the Baclaran-Pasay boundary; Sgt. Mariano Street in Barangay 148; Barangay 41; the corner of D. Jorge and Tolentino Streets; M. dela Cruz Street; C. Jose Street in Malibay; Aurora Boulevard; and F. B. Harrison and Taft Avenue near Protacio Street, among others. 

Cristina Eshmawi, Eco-waste Technical Support Operations head, said the irregular garbage collection in the city can be attributed to the reduction of the amount paid by previous caretaker officials to contractors such as Halrey Trucking, Greenline Onyx and R.M. Maintenance.

She said the contractors now collect garbage only three times a week, compared to the daily collection before.

The garbage collection companies have existing contracts with the previous caretaker administration that are in effect until the end of the year. – Rhodina Villanueva