City Hall to tap SKs in drive vs garbage

CEBU, Philippines — Now that the rainy months are here, youngsters in Cebu City will soon have the chance to clean the environment while getting something in return at the same time.

This as Cebu City Hall’s Department of Public Services (DPS) is planning to tap the barangays’ Sangguniang Kabataan for the implementation of the “Basura mo, Sardinas ko” program.

Under the initiative, the youth will be asked to join cleanup operations for creeks and canals. They will then be given two cans of sardines for every sack of trash collected, said DPS officer-in-charge Roberto Cabarrubias at a press conference yesterday.

He said the plan proves timely and relevant because the city’s waterways are expected to be filled with trash that gets washed by floods during heavy downpour.

Before the plan is implemented, though, DPS will launch an information dissemination campaign to be headed by DPS executive assistant Grace Luardo and the SK chairmen in the respective barangays.

Areas being eyed for the initiative are the creeks in Bulacao and Inayawan; creek in Jai-alai going upstream to Labangon, Tisa, and Punta Princesa; Sapangdaku down to Guadalupe River; the creeks in Tinago, Tejero, Lahug, and Pahina.

Others include the contributory canals or small creeks in Basak Pardo, Basak San Nicolas, and Mambaling.

Aside from the youth, Cabarrubias likewise encouraged SKs to invite street dwellers to join the program.

Funded by the Accelerated Social Amelioration Program (ASAP), the City Hall’s “Basura mo, Sardinas ko” started a year ago with the goal of encouraging city residents to be more proactive in cleaning their surroundings by giving them sardines, a staple especially among poor households, for the garbage they collected.

Street Lights

Meanwhile, the DPS is proposing to put up street lights along the Transcentral Highway, particularly in Barangay Cantimpla, the boundary between Cebu City and Balamban town.

The plan is to install 586 units of 100-watt LED warm white street lights along the highway.

The proposal came after it was recently observed that the highway is very dark at night, which poses threat to motorists.

Cabarrubias said the project will be done in coordination with the Cebu Electric Cooperative, which hosts several electric posts in the area.

A private telecommunications firm also owns poles there that can be tapped for the installation of the LEDs.

“The implementation of this project is for the safety of the commuters and motorists who travel in this area at night,” said Cabarrubias.

“Makita gyud nimo ang kangitngit sa dalan, naghuwat pa ko'g V-hire aron akong masundan kay ngitngit gyud kaayo. Unya napundir pa gyud akong headlights,’’ he told reporters as he recalled a personal experience.

Cabarrubias said that as of now, the DPS is waiting for the approval of the Office of the Mayor.

He did not specify a specific budget because the move is a collaboration between the city government and CEBECO.

The Transcentral Highway serves as Cebu City’s direct link to the midwestern portion of Cebu. — Carl James T. Cabarles, USJ-R Intern/JMD (FREEMAN)