Cleanup after office hours pushed

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Vice Mayor Donaldo “Dondon” Hontiveros has suggested for some City Hall employees to spend an hour cleaning up their designated areas after they finish work this week for them not to be obliged to attend the cleanup drive on Saturday.

Hontiveros announced the suggestion during the City Hall’s flag raising ceremony on Monday.

“If I may suggest, what’s one hour after your working day and we don’t have to oblige or require you to go on a Saturday?  But I’ll be selecting the different departments kay nag-meet na man mi and nag-assign na mi,” said Hontiveros.

Hontiveros said the suggestion was also made to avoid crowding among employees during the activity this coming Saturday and to determine if City Hall workers are really participating in cleaning the surroundings.

The vice mayor added that he wanted to avoid comments from others, stating that employees of the city government only join the cleanup drive for picture taking purposes.

“Now, if we require everybody, maabot na sad to’ng istorya from the private sector nga makakita sila nga ‘unsa man tong mga government employees uy magpa-picture ra man unya nisibat’. We don’t want that comment from the private sector kay sila daghan man kaayo og gitabang,” said Hontiveros.

The employees who clean after their working hours must report to their respective barangays that they cleaned on that day.

Hontiveros said he will coordinate with the barangays for such purpose.

He said the City Hall employees could clean up in their respective barangays until this Friday.

Hontiveros stressed the importance of maintaining the cleanliness of the city and called on the public to cooperate by properly disposing their garbage.

Last February, a special Basura Clean-up Storm Task Force drew out 16 tons of garbage mixed with debris from Typhoon Odette that cascaded through the Guadalupe River down to Pasil area. — FPL (FREEMAN)