Establishments dump trash in mountain brgys

CEBU, Philippines - Councilor Nida Cabrera disclosed that private firms collecting the garbage of big establishments in the city allegedly dispose of the garbage in the mountain barangays.

Cabrera, chairperson of the City Council committee on environment, said these private garbage collectors allegedly dispose of the garbage at night when no one can see their illegal activity. 

Last Saturday, personnel of the Department of Public Services (DPS) and Cebu City Environmental Sanitation and Enforcement Team (CESET) collected a truckload of waste materials from several ravines in Barangays Taptap, Sirao, Cambinocot, Adlaon and Malubog.

“Taud-taud na siguro ni nga gi-practice aning mga private contractors kay nangalata na man ang ubang mga basura” Cabrera said.

CESET was created last year purposely to monitor residents and private garbage collectors who may be dumping garbage along the city’s major thoroughfares. However, Cabrera said it is possible that these establishments and private collectors might have thought of bringing the garbage to the mountain barangays instead.

“Sukad atong gipang-assign ang atong mga CESET personnel ug mga barangay enforcement officers sa mga hotspot areas dinhi sa urban areas, adto na sila maglabay sa ilang basura sa mga kabukiran,” Cabrera said.

Cabrera said they already identified some big establishments in Cebu City and in Mactan, but the information needs to be verified. She said they also need to verify whether these establishments have connived with the private garbage collectors.

“Mga lata nga prutas ug lamas, dunay mga resibo ug mga karaaang business permit gikan sa mga establishment. Klaro kayo ni nga violations sa RA 9003 ug mahimo sila i-penalized niini,” Cabrera added.

Cabrera said she and Councilor Edu Rama, chairman of the Council committee on general services, will meet the captains of the five mountain barangays to discuss how to go about the issue.

Earlier, environmental lawyer Gloria Estenzo-Ramos gave Cebu City until March this year to fully implement the provisions of Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 or face charges in court. —(FREEMAN)