Quezon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte Jr. urged yesterday his constituents to extend all-out support for his government’s solid waste management program. "Garbage is not just the responsibility of the city government but it’s everybody’s concern," Belmonte said, "the front of our house is like our face, reflecting the kind of persons we are."
The mayor said "the city government’s effort to make Quezon City a garbage-free metropolis is bound to fail without the support of every one of us."
Belmonte also called on barangay officials to initiate programs in their respective areas to prevent indiscriminate throwing of garbage.
"Garbage and insufficient tax collection are the two pressing problems besetting Quezon City. These problems are vital components to the effective delivery of basic services to the people," he added.
It was learned that former Quezon City Mayor Ismael Mathay Jr. spent P700 million of the P900 million budget for garbage collection for the year 2001 before he stepped down on June 30.
"All we have now is P200 million to spend for the second half of this year. We really have to stretch our budget for garbage to ensure efficient garbage collection in the city," Belmonte noted.
At the same time, the mayor vowed to pursue the generation of additional employment, expansion of the revenue base and efficient fiscal management to bankroll sustained economic growth and development of the city. – Cecille Suerte Felipe