Mayor eyes MRF abolition in villages

ILOILO City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog wants the solid waste management board to evaluate the performance of material recovery facility (MRF) that was set up in the city's barangays.

Mabilog said the MRF has not served its purpose as a collection point of recovered and recycled garbage materials as provided in Republic Act 9003, and most are dilapidated and eyesores as these became a junkyard of recovered garbage.

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He said the MRF provision must be abolished to give freedom to barangay officials to choose on how to deal with their recycled garbage.

However, existing and successful MRF in some 10 barangays in Iloilo City may opt to continue their MRF operations.

Engr. Raul Gallo of the Office of Public Service said Mabilog also want a new schedule on garbage collection by garbage trucks. Barangay residents are advised to personally bring out their segregated solid wastes to the collection trucks on scheduled hour.

The recyclable garbage will be collected on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, while the biodegradable wastes are to be collected on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. They will be brought to the Calajunan dumpsite in Mandurriao district.

Garbage truck personnel were instructed not to collect those that are not segregated into recyclable and biodegradable wastes.

Gallo said a technical working group is studying the new collection scheme to be submitted to the solid waste management group for approval next week. (Lydia C. Pendon)