Garbage fee sharing pushed

CITY Mayor Constantino Jaraula is pushing for the passage of an ordinance granting the city’s barangays with 50 percent share on garbage fees collected by the City Government from local business establishments.

Jaraula said the 50 percent share on garbage fee shall go to the “operationally-working” barangays from where the fee was collected.

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The 50-50 garbage fee sharing scheme between the City Government and the barangays was announced by Jaraula when he recently convened concerned City Hall officials to address the growing problem on indiscriminate throwing of garbage in the city.

Jaraula ordered City Administrator Griscelda Joson, City Legal Officer Atty. Maryanne Chavez-Enteria, City Health Officer Dr. Jerie Calingasan, City Police Deputy Director Col. Antonio Montalba, City Public Services Officer Engineer Mario Batar and his staff to craft an ordinance for the purpose.

With this, the mayor expressed optimism that the granting of the 50 percent garbage fee sharing scheme will encourage barangay officials to actively implement the city’s anti-littering and sanitation laws.

“The barangays would be happy about that. The city must be equitable because if they don’t have a share (garbage fee), they don’t also have the capability to collect,” Jaraula said.

According to Engineer Batar, the City Government collects about P9 million as garbage fee annually.

Aside from the sharing scheme, Jaraula also recommended the adoption of a “reward system” that would give incentive package to outstanding business establishments and households who practice proper waste segregation at home.

“In this way, you are teaching them to value cleanliness and sanitation,” he said, adding that the lack of values formation among residents has contributed to the indiscriminate throwing of garbage on the streets and illegal dumping into creeks, canals and waterways.

Based on the data presented by the City Public Services Office, the city collects 120 tons of garbage daily while barangays equipped with garbage trucks collects 38 tons a day and 42 tons daily comes from private collection.

At present, only 11 units of city-owned garbage trucks are operational.

This year, Jaraula said the City Government will acquire three additional mini-dump trucks for garbage collection. (CIO)