33 Baguio b’gays fail trash segregation

By Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY – The implementation of the no-segregation-no-collection policy in the city that started last Sept. 12 resulted to a marked improvement in the city’s waste collection efficiency but 33 barangays in the city remained were not that cooperative in waste segregation efforts.

Based on the memorandum of solid waste management division head Ruben Cervantes , the barangays that failed the segregation mark are barangays Padre Zamora, Sto. Nino Slaughterhouse, Magsaysay Private Road, Holy Ghost Proper, Upper Magsaysay, Lower Magsaysay, Lower General Luna, Holy Ghost-honeymoon, ABCR, New Lucban, Alfonso Tabora, San Luis Village, Irisan, San Roque Village, Kayang Extension, Camp Allen., Cresencia Village, AZCKO, Campo Filipino, Happy Homes-Old Lucban, East Quirino Hill, Upper Market Subd., Kayang-Hilltop, LoakanLiwanag, Camp 7, Camp 8, Poliwes, San Vicene, BGH, Military Cut-off, Lower Rock Quarry and Pinget.

Relative to his, Mayor Mauricio Domogan directed the heads of said barangays to assign barangay officials and volunteers to guard the waste pick-up points during the collection schedules to ensure that the wastes being brought there are properly segregated.

The mayor also ordered the punong barangays to conduct massive information education campaign to their constituents on the basics of waste segregation at their homes and on the city’s no-segregation-no-collection policy.

During the Ugnayang Panlungsod press briefing, the mayor clarified the intention of the city’s no-segregation-no-collection policy for which he said the city should take a radical approach.

He said that instead of the conventional and literal approach of refusing to collect the unsegregated wastes, the city will instead take a revolutionary approach by going after the source of the unsorted refuse and take them to task for violation of the provisions of Republic Act No. 9003.

“Instead of leaving the unsegregated wastes uncollected which will bring more problems because it will result to health hazards and eyesores, we will strengthen the monitoring and coordination with barangay officials so that the perpetrators are identified on and summoned to do the segregation themselves and execute affidavits and file case against these violators,” the mayor said.

The mayor also asked the residents to bear with the city in the implementation of the two-truck biodegradable-nonbiodegradable collection system.

“We are actually experiencing problems on the two-truck system but as we go on, we hope to perfect the system in the long run. Japan, where the Environmental Recycling System (ERS) machines came from, took 30 years to perfect the segregation system. We are only months into the implementation of the segregation policy so we still have a long way so we beg for your understanding,” he said.