GARBAGE hauling has gone back to normal.
Aldermen moved to assure hauling of trash will continue, relenting on the plea of Mayor Mauricio Domogan last week.
The council has brought back the entire budget allotted for garbage hauling to the account code “Maintenance and Operating Expenses” after transferring it to the “Environment and Other Services.”
The technical move earlier made by the legislative branch will subject contracts for hauling and tipping fees to be confirmed and scrutinized by the council before approval, making this month’s garbage collection and hauling to Tarlac end in a standstill which alarmed the chief executive and residents.
The council approved the request of the mayor with conditions mandating the government to monitor collection, transport and transfer of trash to Tarlac by Camilo Trucking Services, the perennial winning bidder for the city.
Committee on Laws chairman Councilor Faustino Olowan, the lone legislator who abstained from voting in favor of the request of the mayor stood his ground to have all contracts for garbage hauling and tipping submitted to the council for confirmation for transparency purposes.
Domogan earlier debunked suspicion Camilo Trucking Services is being favored by the city and is given an undue advantage over other groups saying the group is the only one which has complied with requirements of the city and the environment department.
Hauling started years ago when the Irisan dumpsite was phased out and due to the lack of sites to accommodate an Engineered Sanitary Land Fill.
Hauling, though expensive, has been identified by the Environment and Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) as an acceptable means of disposal for areas which can afford the service and is still without an ESL.
The city has allotted P75M under the General Services Office (GSO) for hauling, a portion of this has been used for the first quarter of the year.