Cebu City Hall adopts “sardines for trash”

CEBU, Philippines - At least 300 residents of Barangay Lahug received sardines from the Cebu City government yesterday for disposing of their garbage directly to the city-provided compactor trucks.

Yesterday was the first day implementation of the Basura Mo, Sardinas Ko project of Mayor Tomas Osmeña and the first recipients were the residents of Sitio Riverside.

Lahug served as pilot area of the program to help residents become responsible in the proper disposal of their trash.

Department of Public Services John Paul Gelasque said they targeted areas where residents used to dispose of their garbage on the river.

Based on their assessment, the project has a good impact, with a plastic of trash earning residents a can of sardines.

During the distribution yesterday, the city government deployed two compactor trucks in the Sudlon area.

In a press conference, Osmeña said he adopted this idea from what is being practiced in Curitiba, Brazil, where officials there implemented a similar scheme.

“We are experimenting…this was the practice done in Curitiba wherein they distributed eggs, not sardines to the constituents who disposed directly their trash to the garbage trucks. There was a problem in garbage collection in one area kay dili kasulod ang garbage trucks, it works so well, so they did it to the whole Curitiba,” he told reporters.

He noticed this kind of scheme way back in 1997 but he did not implement this in the city for the DPS at that time was “unreliable” in terms of monitoring this type of project. He cited the benefits of this “Basura Mo, Sardinas Ko” project in the city.

“One, we’re giving food to the poor, you save on the loaders also. The hidden benefit is cleaning up the rivers, and drainage. That’s why this started sa area nga ang  mga tawo molabay sa sapa. It is a learning process,” the mayor said.

If the project proves successful, the city government would implement it in the other barangays.

Gelasque full implementation of the project in all barangays of the city could happen in March.

The city has set aside P5 million for this project under the Accelerated Social Amelioration Program funds.  (FREEMAN)