CEBU, Philippines - The Mandaue City government recently bought two garbage trucks worth P12.5 million each to improve its efficiency in garbage collection.
The garbage trucks were turned over by Mayor Jonas Cortes to Engr. Marivic Cabigas, chief of the Department of General Services, after a blessing ceremony administered by Fr. Rogen Leyson early this week.
The DGS office is tasked to collect garbage not covered by the barangays. It is also responsible for the collection of garbage from big establishments in the city which are paying annual garbage fees to the city government.
The two new compactor garbage trucks can each accommodate 12 tons of garbage. They are an addition to the eight garbage trucks which the city already owns.
In his speech, Cortes said the city is constantly flooded being a catch basin of rainwater coming from Cebu City mountains. He said garbage is also a culprit in the clogging of the city's waterways.
Cortes said the city is strict with its campaign against littering and has tasked the Mandaue City Environment and Natural Resources Office to implement proper waste segregation at the barangay level to ensure that only residual wastes are being thrown in the sanitary landfill in Barangay Umapad.
"This is one of the top priority programs of my administration but this cannot be achieved without the cooperation of everyone," Cortes said. — (FREEMAN)