THE Ancillary Services Unit (ASU) has attributed the surge in garbage collected after the recent flooding in Davao City to the holiday season.
Paul Bermejo, ASU head, bared during a media interview on Monday, January 6, 2025, at City Hall Drive, that their team collected three medium-sized truckloads of garbage under the Balusong Bridge following the heavy rains. He said that garbage from upstream areas was washed downstream by the floodwaters.
“Daghan kaayo as in, right after the flooding katong Saturday lang kay gi-respondehan man dayon nato para ma-assess nato (There was a lot of garbage right after the flooding last Saturday. We immediately responded to assess the situation),” he said.
ASU sought assistance from the City Engineer’s Office (CEO) by requesting equipment to expedite clearing operations.
Bermejo also urged residents from Mintal, Calinan, and other upland areas to manage their waste properly to prevent it from ending up in the city’s waterways.
The holiday season, according to Bermejo, caused a significant increase in household waste, much of which ended up in creeks and waterways due to poor waste management.
ASU typically collects about 400 sacks of garbage daily, but this rose to 600 sacks during the holidays, excluding waste retrieved from drainage systems. Most of the debris pulled from the canals consisted of PET bottles. To address this, Bermejo said vendors along Tulip Drive and other areas near canals will be reminded to dispose of waste properly.
Davao City recently experienced flooding in Matina Crossing and Calinan due to localized thunderstorms. The flooding affected around 617 families and caused damage to several homes. RGP