Wednesday, December 12, 2007 10 street cleaners, waste collectors awarded By Gil Alfredo B. Severino
BACOLOD residents usually suspect that every time a government dump truck blew its horn to collect garbages these days, a Christmas gift is expected of them.
Executive Assistant for the Department of Public Services (DPS) Valentine Jamelo dispell all these misconceived notion about a 'basurero' (garbage collector) including lady streetcleaners, saying, "They are on strict orders never to receive or imply wanting to have gifts."
Jamelo made the disclosure during the annual awarding ceremony of the Rotary Club of Bacolod - West to 10 deserving lady streetcleaners and garbage collectors, Tuesday at the Department of Public Service.
Jamelo said, "Those of us who are not into garbage collection or street cleaning may not understand how much this award meant, so that this annual awarding ceremony given by the Rotary Club of Bacolod - West is most commendable."
Earlier, Administrative Officer Marlene Malibe described DPS as the most 'verbally abused' department, adding, "Yes, our line of work is all about garbage, but we are not garbage."
Malibe was sentimental in the delivery of this message.
To which Jamelo explained, "There are about 214 subdivisions in the whole of Bacolod. In downtown areas alone, DPS operation would take about five to six hours to complete. Even if we have many trucks and manpower, collection of all garbages is an impossibility.
"It is wrong to say that our garbage collectors do not perform. This is wrong because our garbage collectors make money out of garbages augmenting their meager income which cannot even buy them regular intake of vitamins needed to strengthen their immune systems," Jamelo explained.
Malibe, on the other hand, shared the pitiful state of DPS workers as many of them are 'Job Orders' status and salaries are always delayed for three months as of todate.
Jamelo assured the public that an exclusive telephone line is reserved for all kinds of complaints and that a staff is assigned to record time of complaint and date of action.
Jamelo deplored that there numerous reports received by the mayor's office claiming that DPS does not act on garbage problems in a particular area "for three months!"
This is impossible, according to Jamelo, "Despite very limited resources for garbage collection, all complaints are being acted upon as soon as the next available vehicle is at hand."
"In fact a lot of complainants here will not identify themselves. This is difficult because our drivers have to locate and identify. But we immediately respond," he added.
Meanwhile the ten outstanding street and grabage aides awarded by the Rotary Club of Bacolod -West are: Marion Ortega, Tessie Aliguin, Jose Anacan, Delilah Ambagan, Neslie Panique, Jeol Feria, Noel Patigayon, Celso Arellano, Lazaro Niquia Eli Almonares.
