Treasures from trash

Indeed, one man's trash is another person's treasure.

This proves true to a lot of people who, by the time establishments along V. Gullas Street in downtown Cebu close for the day, flock to the area known as the "timbangan". There, in the dark, they deposit all the junk or garbage they have collected for the day in exchange for a few measly coins.

Notwithstanding the possibilities of acquiring diseases through the unsanitary act of getting in physical contact with garbage, these scavengers earnestly go through garbage bins they can find in every corner of every street their feet bring them to everyday of the week. These scavengers rely mostly on the timbangan for daily subsistence.

Reaching Out To Scavengers

For about six years now, V. Gullas Street has been home to the timbangan. This buy-and-sell "trash" business is owned and operated by Engr. Rodolfo and Estrellita Lim for more than 15 years already. Estrellita, or Nang Inday to the scavengers, shares that the idea of putting up a timbangan in the area came after she and her husband realized how pathetic the situation of the garbage scavengers were. Before her timbangan was put up along V. Gullas Street, desperate garbage scavengers used to skip dinner and sleep outside junk shops every night and wait until these open first thing in the morning. The sight of poor people sitting and lying around the streets with their treasured trash broke her heart.

Finally, after much contemplation, the couple decided to set up a junk shop in the place where their clients were. They figured it was best that they put up a timbangan that is most accessible for the scavengers.

Throughout their 15 years in the "trash" business, the Lim couple has been transferring from one bodega to another until they settled in a bodega along Borromeo Street. Business since then has improved, especially after setting up the timbangan along V. Gullas Street, which opens at 7 a.m. and closes at around 6 a.m. the following day. This has become Estrellita's source of fulfillment and joy knowing that they have helped many people.

Estrellita defines her business as another form of public service. "Daghang negosyo nga dili hugaw pero imong kasing-kasing naa man sa pagtabang og mga kabos."

Being a businesswoman at heart, she shares that she has many business options to venture into but she proudly explains that no other business could be better than what she has. "Nindot gyud bisan gamay ang ginansya. Importante man gyud sa negosyo kanang malipayon ka".

She even adds that majority of her suki in the timbangan are ex-convicts. She says that most of those who become scavengers are those people who are misunderstood by society and cannot find jobs so they opt to go into scavenging to earn money.

Even Estrellita's 19-year-old son has learned to love the business. He manages the nightly timbangan and the workers under him are mostly his friends who work part-time.

Getting Dirty For A Clean Living

Filemon Cañoneo, 58, a native of Dalaguete town, says that he earns an average of P100 a night for selling garbage at the timbangan. Although he admits that his earnings are hardly enough for his six children, he says it is better than stealing.

Everyday, for five years now, he wakes up early to head out to the dumps to collect garbage. By dusk, he proceeds to the timbangan, sorts out his collections then waits for his turn to be entertained by the timbangan staff.

Filemon says that despite the meager amount he earns, he managed to send his children to school. In fact, his eldest daughter has finished a two-year HRM course.

"Manginabuhi nga tarong kaysa manulis. Bahala magkabungisngis ka basta tarong ang panginabuhi," says Filemon of his work.

The timbangan along V. Gullas Street buys garbage at the following prices:

1K of karton - Php 2.00
1K of paper - Php 1.00
1K of plastic mineral bottles - Php 15.00
1K of blowing plastic - Php 11.00
1K of assorted plastics (pails, cups, straw, etc) - Php 10.00
1K cans (sardines, canned goods) - Php 50.00
1K scrap metal - Php 8.00
1K copper or bronze - Php 180.00

For inquiries, you can call Engr. Rodolfo and Estrellita's office telephone at 255-1604.