Cebu City braces for tons of garbage

CEBU, Philippines — With more than a million people participating in the Sinulog Festival, it is inevitable that tons of garbage will be produced in different areas of Cebu City.

The city government has started its preparation for a massive cleanup on January 19, the day of the festival.

Department of Public Services (DPS) Head Engineer Joel Biton, who presided over a meeting yesterday to discuss about their aftercare program, said the DPS has tapped some agencies and departments that can help in the garbage accumulation during the Sinulog day.

Among the departments and agencies involved include the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW), Department of General Services (DGS), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CCENRO), Parks and Playgrounds Commission, and Prevention, Restoration, Order, Beautification, and Enhancement (PROBE) team.

According to Biton, the DPWH is assigned for the augmentation of the equipment and trucks needed for the clean-up while the DEPW, DGS, and BFP are assigned on the flashing after the cleaning of the streets.

The CCENRO and PROBE are assigned on the enforcement, for the issuance of citation tickets to those who indiscriminately litter and urinate in the streets and for the arrangement of the disarrayed food stops and stalls, respectively.

The Parks and Playgrounds Commission is tasked to clean the parks in the city.

Biton also said that they talked about where they could put up a dispatching area or an area where the equipment needed for cleaning will be placed.

“Inig start na og pagpanglimpyo i-dispatch na nato sila sa area nga magsugod pagpanglimpyo,” said Biton.

He said that before 12 p.m., the DPS personnel will already be at the different areas of the Sinulog route.

“Amo lang paaboton nga mahuman ang katapusang mosayaw... Human, magsunod na ang among mga street sweepers. Katag man mi ana. Igo-igo sad maabot sa Abellana (Cebu City Sports Complex) ang katong katapusang mosayaw, limpyo-limpyo nasad ang ubang kalsada,” said Biton.

Around 600 DPS personnel will be deployed during the day of Sinulog Festival.

Meanwhile, Biton said that letters will be sent to establishments along the Sinulog route informing them of their responsibility to clean the trash within the five-meter radius of their areas.

“Dili kami ang manglimpyo sa ilang tugkaran, sila jud ang manglimpyo hangtod mahuman ang Sinulog,” he said.

Biton is set to meet with officials of urban barangays, especially those with dump truck or loaders, on Tuesday to discuss on how they can help with the garbage management on that day.  GAN (FREEMAN)