85 tons of trash hauled from Badjao community

CEBU, Philippines — In just seven hours, close to a hundred tons of garbage were hauled from a Badjao community at Sitio Nava, Barangay Mambaling, Cebu City.

The city’s garbage czar Grace Luardo, who is also the head of the Cebu City Environmental Sanitation Enforcement Team (CESET), disclosed that they have hauled at least 85 tons of garbage, so far.

One of the mayor’s special assistants, Ramil Ayuman, over KTVNews, said the team needed at least 10-wheeler trucks and four barangay trucks plus two other trucks to haul all the garbage taken from the area.

Luardo described the loads of garbage as “nangitom ug nanggahi na…ug grabe ka baho sa maong mga basura.”

Even with the massive haul, the clearing operation in the area is far from over.

There are still structures that need to be demolished soon.

For the time being, at least seven stilt houses that are directly obstructing the waterways will be the first to go.

Ayuman told The FREEMAN that it will be done most likely within this week.

Earlier, the Department of Public Work and Highways have already paid the occupants of some the illegal structures that are due for demolition.

The DEPW, together with CESET, and the rest of the members of the Task Force Gubat sa Baha and barangay officials, have already surveyed the area as well as the whereabouts of those living in the said affected structures as disclosed by the City’s PIO.

Those that decided to get the money instead of a relocation, are expected to demolish their structures already for them to be able to save some of their belongings.

Aside from the Badjaos, hundreds of other dwellings around the city rivers are expected to be demolished soon.

River commanders were given until today to complete its list of violators of the three-meter easement and those obstructing the waterways themselves.

Clearing the city rivers is expected to solve the city’s flood problem. (FREEMAN)