Barangay health center fined for littering

CEBU, Philippines — Government offices and facilities are not exempted from the implementation of “Oplan Disiplina” to achieve a Singapore-like Cebu City.

The City Environmental Sanitation and Enforcement Team (CESET) issued the reminder to all government offices after it issued a citation ticket to Mambaling health center for violation of the City Ordinance 1361 or the Anti-Littering Ordinance of Cebu City.

“Failure to clean sa ilang area….Wa sila manghinlo five meters within sa ilang tugkaran,” said the CESET head Grace Luardo.

Luardo said the person in charge of the health center will have to pay the P500 fine at the CESET office within seven days. She warned that failure to settle the fine will force them to press charges.

“Og dili sila moatubang didto sa office after seven days, file-an sila og kaso…Naa silay warrant of arrest if dili sila moadto kung mahitabong ma file-an sila og kaso,” Luardo explained.

Cebu City Health Department head, Dr. Jeffrey Ibones, was surprised to hear about the incident.

He said the incident should serve as a lesson to all health centers in the city.

“This serves as a lesson sa mga health centers nga kinahanglan manglimpyo gyud sila kay wala gyuy pilion ang balaod labi na sa Oplan Disiplina even kita, dili ta exempted,” Ibones told The Freeman.

The city’s garbage czar said that so far it is only the Mambaling health center among the government facilities in the city that they caught violating the “Oplan Disiplina.”

Most of those apprehended were individuals and households who failed to clean up their surroundings and for throwing their garbage anywhere. Others were also caught disregarding the schedules of garbage collection in their barangay.

Luardo said several households in Mambaling were among those issued citations. Earlier, CESET disclosed that at least five barangays are under close monitoring for doing anything to help the city government achieve its Singapore-like goal.

These barangays were given a month to shape up or else the barangay officials will face charges.

Luardo refused to name the barangays yet hoping that the officials will improve their efforts. She vowed to reveal the names of the barangays once an administrative complaint will be filed against its officials for failure to comply with Republic Act 9003 or the Solid Waste Act.

Luardo emphasized that everyone living in the city should be disciplined and responsible enough to help take care of the city being their “home”.

“Kinahanglan gyud ta nga dunay disiplina kay ang Cebu City is our home baya…Dapat limpyo gyud unta ang atong tugkaran... Ato man sad ng responsibility nga atong limpyuhan…So dili nato pasagdaan na hugaw,” said Luardo.

More than achieving a Singapore-like city, Luardo said it is also for one’s own good and protection from diseases and flooding.

“In the first place kita ra puy moantos og mag-uwan, unya duol ang sakit…Kita  ra gyud…So dapat magtinabangay ta na hinlo ang atong isig katugkaran sa atong syudad,” Luardo said.

Meanwhile, Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama has lauded the efforts of Cogon-Pardo and its e-bike drivers' association for initiating its own efforts to help achieve a Singapore-like city.

Rama told The Freeman that this is the reason why he asked Liga ng mga Barangay president and ex-officio councilor Franklyn Ong to be involved and help him achieve his vision for the city as he cannot do it all by himself.

Rama emphasized that it has to be a bottoms up approach, thus, all 80 barangays need to do their part as well in making Cebu City a brand-new city.

Cogon Pardo recently passed an ordinance that bans e-trike drivers with poor hygiene from driving within its jurisdiction.  – FPL (FREEMAN)