AS THE Sinulog festival wrapped up, the volume of waste has surged significantly, with around 330 to 340 tons of trash collected this year, nearly double the 205 tons recorded in 2024.
Paul Gelasque, head of the Department of Public Services (DPS), said in a phone interview with SunStar Cebu on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025, the increase in the volume of waste collected this year, compared to 2024, is due to the larger buildup of people during the Sinulog Festival.
Gelasque said while the DPS has enough garbage trucks, the large volume of waste has made it challenging for them.
“In my 20 years at DPS, this is the first time I’ve seen this much waste,” said Gelasque in Cebuano.
Gelasque said the areas with the most “critical” amounts of garbage during the Sinulog Festival included the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño de Cebu area, Colon Night Market, Osmeña Blvd., General Maxilom Ave. and Ramos St.
The Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office and the Cebu City Police Office estimated that four million people attended the Sinulog Grand Parade and Ritual Showdown on Sunday, Jan. 19.
Strategy, priority
Despite ongoing cleanup efforts, Gelasque’s team has concentrated resources on high-priority areas, including billeting schools, establishments and main routes, while also addressing the waste in the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC) area.
SunStar Cebu reported on Friday, Jan. 24, through a junior journalist Zhan Francisco Ramirez, that there were still piles of trash inside the CCSC that were left “uncollected.”
The Junior Journo Program is a SunStar Publishing initiative designed to expose aspiring journalists to the vital role and functions of journalism in the society.
However, in a follow-up interview, Gelasque said the DPS has been collecting the garbage for three consecutive days using a 10-wheeler truck, highlighting challenges with the volume of work.
“Because of the large volume, we couldn’t finish it all. We can’t focus all our trucks there since we still have many school pick-up points for waste collection and establishments to attend to. At least the waste in CCSC is contained within the area and isn’t visible to the public, as we will still collect it later,” Gelasque said in Cebuano.
Gelasque explained that they are prioritizing areas with the most urgent needs, focusing particularly on billeting schools where children are exposed to harmful waste, such as plywood, and health risks from inhaling trash.
The DPS head assured that trash, mostly plastic and water bottles, near the CCSC exit, leading to Natalio Bacalso Ave. will be cleared not later than Saturday.
Gelasque urged the public to be more environmentally conscious and avoid irresponsibly disposing of their waste, saying that it all comes down to discipline. / DPC