Friday, December 14, 2007 City to study privatized waste collection
THE City Council has approved on first reading the proposed ordinance of Vice Mayor Daniel Fariñas creating a committee to study the possibility of privatizing garbage collection in Baguio.
"The City has already taken steps in order to comply with Republic Act 9003 mandating all cities and municipalities to segregate garbage at source," Fariñas said.
Despite the efforts being exerted by the local government together with various non-government and private organizations, the city, in its goal for a zero-waste, is far from realizing its target due to several constraints.
The need to educate residents on proper waste segregation, additional material recovery facilities (MRFs) and garbage trucks are among the problems (being) encountered, he added.
Fariñas suggested the creation of a committee to study the possibility of privatizing the operation and management of the garbage collection to comply with RA 9003 while the local government prepares for the full implementation of its 10-year solid waste management plan.
Upon approval, the mayor, through an administrative order, should create the composition of the committee.
The committee should be tasked to conduct a study in three months and to submit the result to the city council for consideration and necessary action.
Councilors Galo Weygan and Perlita Chan-Rondez meantime proposed the allocation of P18-million for the purchase of MRFs for the 18 cluster-barangays and for the conduct of an extensive information and education campaign on RA9003 and the "no segregation, no collection" policy of the city.
"Such action will substantially reduce the volume of garbage being dumped at the Irisan dumpsite, which is already a mountain endangering the lives of residents near it," the aldermen stressed. (Dan Ricky Ong)
