Baguios garbage woes refuse to disappear

Oct 11, 2013

BAGUIO CITYThe citys continuing garbage problem indicates that residents and businesses
here have failed to comply with a policy on waste segregation, a city official said.
Councilor Peter Fianza, a former city administrator, said the city was able to reduce the wastes
generated here in 2008 due to residents awareness about segregation and recycling.

We observed then that there was success in waste reduction. But lately, we have not noticed any
change. It will appear on our records that the volume of garbage dumped in [landfills in] Tarlac and
Urdaneta City has increased, Fianza said.

We may not have improved the system of handling our garbage, from the storage, to handling, and
then segregation, he added.

Fianza warned that should the city fail to reduce its wastes, the local government would spend more
for hauling and dumping, especially during the rainy season.

He said the city used to generate 117 to 130 tons of garbage a day, but the volume increased to 140
to 160 tons daily.

He said during the rainy season, the city spends more because garbage is heavier due to water
absorption.

Fianza said the amount the city pays to landfill operators depends on the weight of garbage being
dumped in their facilities.

The garbage should be kept dry as much as possible, and if it is doable, the dump should have a
roof or should be covered to avoid water seepage, he said.
The city government, he said, has been spending around P260,000 a day for hauling and tipping
fees.

About P300,000 a day is spent for taking care of biodegradable and nonbiodegradable wastes.
This amount does not even include personnel cost, [garbage] collection from barangays to staging
areas and the cost of dump trucks, Fianza said.

In the multisectoral workshop, Demystifying the city budget for waste management, held at the
University of the Philippines Baguio on Sept. 25, participants assailed the city government for
using more than P214 million of the citys 2013 budget for solid waste management.

Clearly, the solution to the garbage problem in Baguio is nowhere in sight, despite the millions of
pesos that are poured into the office that is tasked to manage the solid wastes of the city. A question
that begs to be answered is: Is the P214-million budget for solid waste management being used
properly and is there room for improvement? the participants said in a statement.

They added: This gives space for concerned citizens of Baguio to exert vigilance in monitoring
how waste management funds are spent, and to get involved in ensuring that public funds are used
properly. Desiree Caluza, Inquirer Northern Luzon

link:
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/504549/baguios-garbage-woes-refuse-todisappear