THE Cebu City's Department of Public Services (DPS) will propose a P200-million supplemental budget to cover the additional budget for garbage disposal this year.
But is the City spending more for its garbage this year compared to the previous years?
Councilor Margarita Osmeña said the current setup may appear to be more expensive, but it is actually advantageous to the City.
At present, Jomara Konstruct Corp., a private service provider, handles the city's garbage disposal, which costs the local government P1,375 per ton of waste disposed.
Earlier, Mayor Tomas Osmeña explained that the City could save funds because it would no longer spend for the maintenance of garbage trucks, gasoline expenses and salary of drivers.
The P1,375 already includes payments for the tipping fee, use of backhoes and garbage trucks, salary for drivers and garbage loaders and the use of a transfer station.
During the term of former Mayor Michael Rama, the City paid P700 per ton for tipping fee for garbage of barangays in the north while those in the south paid P1,500 per, which included the hauling fee.
City Hall also provided payloaders, drivers, garbage loaders and transfer station.
DPS Assistant Chief John Paul Gelasque said that although City has an approved P75-million budget for garbage disposal this year, it's only good until April.
“The P200 million proposal is still initial but based on my computation, it will cover until Dec. 31. I will endorse it to the executive so they can also act on it,” he said.
Gelasque said the City spends P26 million every month to get rid of 18,000 tons of garbage.
An average of 600 tons of garbage are collected daily.