AN OFFICIAL from the Ancillary Services Unit (ASU) reiterated their call to all Dabawenyos to practice waste segregation and recycling amid the recurring flood incidents in Davao City, which has also become a "new normal."
ASU head Paul Bermejo said in a radio interview that the City Government and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) are addressing flooding issues through ongoing projects and pumping stations that operate to help ease the flooding.
Bermejo said, however, that while the big projects are still in the works, he told the public to manage their expectations.
"Mao naman gud ni siya. Mura napud siyag kining pandemic karon, Mao na ni siya ang new normal nato kung mag-ulan gani, mubaha gyud na siya. Dili na siya maiwasan except siguro kung maimplementar natong mga dagkong project ni DPWH, siguro maiwas-iwasan (This is our current situation. Similar to the Covid-19 pandemic, this is our new normal now, whenever there are heavy downpours expect that there will be flooding. This would be prevented if the big projects of DPWH are implemented)," Bermejo said in an interview on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio.
The official added, "Pero samtang wala pa na siya na-implement, dili na ta mag-expect nga dili mubaha kung muulan. Naa na gyud na siya sa atoa (While these projects have yet to be implemented, let us not expect that we won’t experience flooding during downpour. It is now up to us)."
He said this would have been addressed if each household would practice proper segregation and recycling.
Bermejo revealed that due to lack of segregation, large volumes of waste could not fit into garbage bins and trucks so high volumes of garbage ended up in the drainage and canals.
“Bisag sa household naman lang unta nato, kung mag-segregate naman lang ta, dili nalang nato iapil didto ang mga recyclable materials sa residual na mga garbage. Katong residual mao naman lang unta ihatag nato didto sa truck. Dili na nato ihatag tong mga recyclables kay para mu-reduce ang volume sa basura diri palang sa household daan (Let’s start from the households. When we segregate, let us not include recyclable materials to residual garbage. Residual garbage is the only waste we will throw to the garbage truck. Let us not include recyclables to reduce the volume of waste, starting from the household)," Bermejo said.
According to the Davao City Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro), the city's average volume of collected garbage is around 600 to 650 tons per day since the Covid-19 pandemic hit the city in March 2020 until present.
However, this does not include those collected by Ancillary Service Unit during its cleanup drive in canals.
The figure is slightly lower compared to the average 900 tons of garbage per day in 2019, pre-pandemic.
Bermejo said reducing the collection of household waste is already a huge contribution.
He also encouraged barangay officials to lead the solid waste management in the households in their respective areas.
City Engineer's Office (CEO) head Joseph Dominic Felizarta said that uncollected and improperly dumped garbage that clogged the drainage system and canals, siltation, and structures built above waterways have contributed to severe flooding in the city.
Based on their recent survey and assessment, the CEO has identified 13 flooded areas in the city: Km 5 Tulip Drive in Barangay Matina Crossing, Barangay Hall in Matina Aplaya, Susana Homes in Barangay Baliok, Bacanaya Village in Barangay Catalunan Pequeño, Countryside Village in Barangay La Vista Monte, Gallera de Oro in Barangay Bago Aplaya, Goldland Subdivision in Barangay Bago Gallera, Spring Valley Subdivision in Buhangin, Datu Loho in Maa, Circumferential road in Marfori, in JP Laurel, and Quirino avenues. (Royette Obeso, AdDU Intern/With reports from Ralph Lawrence G. Llemit)