6 MILLION PESOS BRGY. SOLID WASTE BUDGET WILL BE RELEASED IN 2 BATCHES

     Secretary to the Mayor Dr. Roger Balo announced that the 6 million pesos Solid Waste Management Budget has been approved for release in two batches.  In a recent meeting of the Solid Waste Management Board held Monday, November 7, Dr. Balo said the first 3 million will be released as soon as the barangays have submitted their programs of work to the screening committee organized by the City Mayor.  So far, only 34 barangays have submitted their requirements.  The deadline for the submission of requirements was on October 31, this year, he said.
       “The barangay’s share of the 3 million will depend on its IRA share, per the 2005 budget and the allocations for these are now being processed”, Balo said. The other 3 Million will be released to them depending on their performance per their submitted program of works he also explained.
     Dr. Balo said that the release of the 6 million pesos is proof of the city’s seriousness in the solid waste management campaign.  Garbage collection is the most costly service in the city government so much so that the city mayor is contemplating the privatization of garbage collection, he said.
     Councilor Lyndon Caña, SP Chairman of the Committee on Environment, suggested that the barangays should submit not only programs of work, but their plans for 2006 in order to strategize their projects for next year.
      The City Mayor’s Office Liaison/Coordinator and Head of the Task Force on Illegal Dumping Romeo Escalona reported to the body that so far 78 persons were apprehended for illegal dumping of garbage. Councilor Caña suggested that offenders’ names be published and meted with punishment as prescribed by RA 9003.
     Meanwhile, Dr. Balo announced that the dump trucks pledged by sister-city Keelung are now at the Manila South Harbor and will soon be shipped to Bacolod. “These, in addition to the 5 new dump trucks that arrived last week and our old but fully operational garbage trucks, will give us a total of 36 dump trucks to service the city,” he said.
     Department of Public Services Head Engr. Efren Canlas assured the body that they are now preparing the color-coded garbage receptacles and that the city hall will be the first recipient of these trash cans. . Canlas also recalled that per City Ordinance 310, the city is only obligated to collect segregated waste. He also explained that the variables in the increase of garbage in the city are: natural calamities, celebrations and class openings.
     Canlas was also voted as Solid Waste Management Czar, who will devote 100 percent of his time to solid waste management. (CMO-PIO)

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