City fortifies solid waste management

TO CONTINUOUSLY reinforce the city’s solid waste management program, Zamboanga City mayor Celso Lobregat has unveiled another set of six garbage compactor trucks worth P28 million.

The unveiling on Friday of the six trucks was the third for this year and brings the total number of new garbage vehicles purchased from 2007 to present to 22.

Last January 16, six new garbage trucks were inaugurated, while last July 11, a set of four new trucks were also unveiled.

Lobregat said that with the continuous purchase of new waste collection vehicles, the City Government, through the Office of City Environment and Natural Resources Officer (OCENR), is gradually dropping from the roster of vintage garbage vehicles which were acquired in the early 1990s as reconditioned units.

Lobregat said that 11 of the 36 antiquated garbage trucks have already been dropped as it has been declared unserviceable.

On the process of being dropped are seven units, while scheduled for property return are 10 other garbage trucks which are expected to conk out anytime soon, Lobregat said.

He said the old and vintage garbage trucks have to be declared as “property return,” as they are no longer viable and economical.

He said that more of the antiquated trucks will be replaced next year.

“This is part of our campaign to strengthen our solid waste management program and our stepped up cleanliness drive,” he said.

The unveiling rite, held at the City Hall grounds Friday, started with the blessing of the facilities led by Monsignor Peter Garces and graced by Councilors Rodolfo Lim, Reinerio Candido and Rogelio Valesco Jr.

The blessing ceremony was followed with the turnover of the trucks from City General Service Officer Engineer Rene de la Cruz to Lobregat and eventually to OCENR chief Engineer Rey Gonzales.

Immediately after, the trucks were dispatched to their areas of assignment.

Unlike the older units, the compactor type garbage trucks are equipped with a rear input and compactor and equipped with a small camera each that allows the driver to monitor if loading and unloading of the waste is done or not.

“We have started laying the foundations of sound fiscal management in the first three years of our term and so now we are reaping the fruits of our labor. We are able to acquire garbage trucks to help solve our solid waste problem,” Lobregat said.

Gonzales said the additional new garbage trucks will help improve garbage collection efficiency of the City Government.

Gonzales said the effort to strengthen the solid waste management program will only be successful with the all-out support and cooperation of the households and each and every resident of the city.

Aside from tapping the support and cooperation of the different villages, the OCENR has also tapped the assistance of urban poor and homeowners associations at the community level in the advocacy to segregate garbage at source. (Bong Garcia)