Garcia wants strict implementation of 'No Segregation, No Collection'

CEBU, Philippines — Acting Cebu City Mayor Raymond Garcia is eyeing for the strict implementation of the “No Segregation, No Collection” in every household in the city, which would be needed as the city council is now looking into a proposal of a third party garbage hauler of only biodegradable wastes.

Garcia disclosed that they aim to pilot the strict implementation of the 'No segregation, No collection' policy in two or three barangays and would start from there, but doing so would need a massive education information campaign.

“I think that is essential, the segregation. But, again, this is not an overnight solution. Kinahanglan man gyud ni og education, not only education but a campaign nga we should teach our constituents segregation, so that at source ma-segregate na nato ug gamay nalang ang malabay nato didto sa landfill,” Garcia said through the City's information office.

The acting mayor said the city government plans to implement the policy through its Solid Waste Management Board (SWMB) and the Department of Public Services (DPS).

“I’m working with the board and I’m working also with our DPS. Then we will try to, amo na nga istoryahan. Pero wala lang ko ka-report ninyo but we are going to pilot maybe two or three barangays sa segregation,” Garcia said.

“Gahuwat nalang gyud ko sa atong guidelines that we will set, of course, we will work hand-in-hand with the barangays involved, nga atong i-strikto ang atong kampanya ug ang atong segregation policy diha palang sa barangay level,” Garcia added.

Garcia also agrees with the City’s Environment and Natural Resources Office in the idea that by segregating, they will be able to lessen the garbage that will be brought to the Binaliw landfill.

 “Sa akong pagngadto sa Binaliw landfill ang akong nakuha didto is 50 percent of the waste or trash that is being dumped there or thrown there is already plastics and you know very well nga plastics are recyclables. So, kung na-segregate pa lang na daan sa household, less na ang malabay didto sa Binaliw landfill,” Garcia added after its ocular inspection in the said landfill.

Third Party Garbage Hauler

In an executive session yesterday, October 2, 2024, the Cebu City City tackled a proposal of having a third-party garbage hauler of biodegradable waste in the city, citing the urgency to improve the waste management in the city.

The matter was discussed through a resolution sponsored by Councilor Nestor Archival, minority floor leader of the city council

During the session, the council discussed the city’s thrust for proper management of biodegradable waste, particularly the processing of the biodegradable or “Malata Waste”, as proposed by the company Jomara Konstrukt.

Members of the Cebu City Ecological Solid Waste Management Board (ESWMB), led by its chairman, Maria Emma Ramas, were asked to shed light on the proposal.

Ramas said they received the proposal from Jomara last May 29, 2024, where they also came up with recommendations.

According to Ramas, Jomara proposes to receive 100 tons of biodegradable waste per day and to receive it through their facility in Brgy. Inayawan.

“And they will process it into compost for a tipping fee of P1,500 per ton,” said Ramas.

Jomara’s proposal also includes sharing with the Cebu City government 50 percent of the compost that they will produce from the 100 tons of biowaste that they will be receiving.

Ramas further said that they see this proposal as the solution to the present system wherein mixed waste is being collected by the city and sent to the landfill.

“And our landfill is having problems at the moment for the stench that is created by mostly biodegradable waste,” said Ramas.

She, however, admitted that the P1,500 tipping fee will not pass through the requirements of the Commission on Audit (COA) since it’s way higher than the P1,100 that the city is currently paying for the landfill in Barangay Binaliw.

In an interview after the discussion, Archival calculated that the city can save up to P100,000 should the city maximize the proposal of Jomara.

According to Archival, having a proposal such as the one from Jomara is already a step ahead in alleviating the concerns in waste management in the city.

Including the maintenance of garbage trucks and other expenses, Archival added it could run up to P800 million.

The revenue of the city’s garbage collection, he said, is at P100 million per year translating to a deficit.

“So ang gihimo nato, nagkuha ta og ubang funds from other projects, or maybe katong other projects na wa mahimo sauna. And if we are going to continue this, mahurot ang atong kwarta, at the same time makahuwam pa ta in the future,” said Archival.

With this, Archival said that the city needs to tone down the costs of bringing waste to the landfill, which Jomara can solve. Just like Ramas, he also has apprehensions about the P1,500 tipping fee since the city is now paying the Binaliw landfill P1,100 as tipping fee.

Aside from this, the city is also allocating P1,900 per ton for the garbage transfer.

During the discussion, Archival said that the Jomara proposes to have the garbage transfer fee of P500, which to him, can be advantageous in the city.

The council, however, is urging the ESWMB to lower the proposed tipping fee of Jomara saying that the former can also benefit from the sharing of the compost.

“It is high time, dugay na kaayo nga high time, nga atong i-serious ang atong pag reduce sa garbage nga atong ilabay sa landfill. Kay sa landfill baho, sa landfill any contamination sa water, so these are all disadvantageous,” said Archival.

“We need it now, we need it very fast,” he stressed.

The public’s share of this program is the strict enforcement of segregation since Jomara will only be accepting biodegradable waste since segregation can cost more. – ATO (CEBU NEWS)