Scavengers appeal for livelihood

CEBU, Philippines - An organization of scavengers at the Inayawan sanitary landfill will ask Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama to provide them with livelihood assistance once the landfill is closed today.

Lilia Llanto, chairman of the Gagmayng Kristohanong Katilingban – Lihok Pagtinabangay Multi-purpose Cooperative, said they have nowhere to turn to once the landfill is closed.

“Way laing trabaho ang mga tawo diri gawas sa pagpangaykay. Kinahanglan gyud mi matabangan kay aha na man mi paingon?” she said in an interview. (We have no other means of living. Where will we go?)

The organization has at least 600 members.

In a proposed letter that they were finalizing yesterday to forward soon to Rama, Llanto said they are appealing for the City Government to allow them to conduct a house-to-house collection of biodegradable wastes in different barangays in the city.

The cooperative, which is divided into groups, is also appealing for vehicles for each group which they could use during collection.

If possible, the group is also appealing that instead of directly dumping in Consolacion, the garbage shall be dumped to the transfer station in Inayawan. This will allow them to scavenge the station, she said.

Furthermore, they are requesting for the City Government to have female scavengers undergo livelihood training like recycling recyclable materials.

“Para mabaligya nila. Lisod man gud kay dili mga graduate,” she said.

On the legal side, Llanto said a memorandum of agreement during former mayor Alvin Garcia’s time was signed in 1997 with a provision stating that scavengers must be given livelihood once the landfill is closed.

“Hangyo lang mi na apilon sa tanang programa sa Cebu City ug di mi biyaan para naa gihapon mi pagkaon, pangskwela sa among mga anak, ug mga panginahanglan sa balay. Need jud mi na matabangan,” Llanto said. (We really need help so we can have income for food and for our children’s education.)

For his part, Rama said City Councilors Eduardo Rama, also chairman of the committee on public services, and Ma. Nida Cabrera, chairman of the committee on environment, will be taking care of the matter.

Rama said, though, they have to be circumspect in addressing the issue.

Barring any other developments, Rama said the closure of the landfill will push through today.

“Dili pwede na tungod nila (scavengers), di ta kapadayon sa closure. They are aware that they can’t be there forever,” the mayor said. (FREEMAN)