CCDCC says deep hole in school grounds unfit for compost pit

CEBU, Philippines – An investigation conducted by the Cebu City Disaster Coordinating Council (CCDCC) revealed that the 20-feet deep hole dug inside the campus of a school in Basak San Nicolas is “unfit for a compost pit” contrary to what school officials are claiming.

Councilor Gerardo Carillo, CCDCC action officer, said the hole which was dug up in the grounds of Don Vicente Rama Memorial National High School is unfit to be used as compost pit because it is too deep and big for the purpose.

“The hole was found to have reached 20 feet and was larger so it was basically too big for a compost pit,” the councilor stressed.

Carillo said that since the city could not directly implement a sanction against the school authorities, his office has recommended to the Department of Education (DepEd) City Schools Division headed by schools superintendent Lorna Rances to create a fact finding team to further investigate the matter considering that school officials have still “a lot of questions to answer.”

“Kinsa ila gipananghiran when they decided to dig? Who supervises them? These are the few questions that really have to be answered,” Carillo said.

He said DepEd will have to make their own investigation considering that the teachers and school officials are not directly under the city government.

In earlier reports, school principal Nympha Balili said that contrary to several speculations, they were not digging for some gold or treasures but merely wanted to solve the garbage woes of the school.

She alleged that the barangay was only collecting garbage in the highway prompting their students and school staffs to bring their trashes outside.

Because of this, there were parents who complained and suggested the putting up of a compost pit inside the school.

Balili explained that the 20-feet deep pit is to be filled in a span of three years. — Ferliza C. Contratista/WAB (THE FREEMAN)