INAYAWAN Barangay Captain Kirk Bryan Repollo has filed a complaint against Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella and Department of Public Services (DPS) head John Jigo Dacua before the Office of the Ombudsman.
The case stems from the uncollected garbage around the city, which Repollo claims could have been avoided through proper management.
In his complaint, Repollo said Labella and Dacua failed to follow provisions of both Republic Act 9003 or the Solid Waste Management Act and RA 7160 or the Local Government Code when some of the city’s garbage remained uncollected for weeks since December.
Repollo said the problem of uncollected garbage in his barangay started when the contract between the City Government and the private hauler managing the Inayawan transfer station expired on the second week of December 2020.
Repollo said barangay officials were not informed prior to the termination of the contract.
There was also no assistance from the City Government after the contract ended, he added.
Repollo said Labella and Dacua failed to comply with required obligations under the General Welfare Act that mandates local government units (LGUs) to promote health and safety, and enhance the right of the people to a balanced ecology.
Section 17 of the law also mandates LGUs to provide efficient and effective basic services which include a solid waste disposal system or environmental management system and services or facilities related to general hygiene and sanitation.
He said the garbage problem could have been avoided if the barangays were given notice of the contract’s termination.
Repollo said the mounting volume of uncollected garbage in his barangay was due to a limited number of garbage trucks.
Inayawan has only two garbage trucks, each with a capacity of five tons.
The problem also worsened due to the increased amount of trash produced in households and establishments during the Christmas holidays.
Private landfill
With the termination of the contract, Inayawan and other barangays now have to dispose of their garbage in a private sanitary landfill in Barangay Binaliw, Repollo said.
Repollo said with the city’s traffic congestion, it takes up to three hours for Inayawan’s garbage trucks to transport trash to and from the Binaliw landfill.
“This only shows the incompetency and inefficacy of the Cebu City Government and of the City’s DPS in addressing the garbage problem of Cebu City,” said Repollo.
Before the contract between the City and the private hauler managing the transfer station ended, hundreds of garbage trucks disposed of garbage in the transfer station in Inayawan, said Repollo.
Dacua refused to comment on the issue, saying he has yet to receive a copy of the complaint.
Meanwhile, SunStar Cebu tried to reach Labella for his comment, but all attempts to reach the mayor failed. (JJL)