BACOLOD City – Photos on Facebook showing a swarm of garbage gathering along the shoreline of Purok Katilingban, Barangay Punta Taytay caught the attention of Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran.
Familiaran, concurrent head of the Solid Waste Action Team, said he has called on Barangay Captain Leah Palma to respond.
This is the responsibility of the barangay, the vice mayor stressed.
Familiaran also criticized what he perceived to be a lack of discipline among villagers with regard to garbage disposal.
According to the SWAT head, residents need to be properly educated how they should dispose of their waste.
He suggested that barangay officials conduct an information dissemination campaign.
Without discipline, people would get away with violating the law, said Familiaran.
But he emphasized that the bigger responsibility was on the local officials.
“Kon wala disiplina ang tawo, ang barangay dapat ang ma–disiplina sa ila (Barangay officials must impose disciplinary actions on undisciplined residents),” Familiaran stressed.
In another development, the Sangguniang Panlungsod asked the Department of Public Services to let the IPM Construction and Development Corp. collect garbage in all barangays at least three times a week in December this year and January next year to cope with the increased amount of garbage due to the holidays.
The city council, in a resolution authored by Councilor Ricardo Tan, noted that Filipinos celebrate Christmas the entire December up to the first week of January.
As bonuses abound, parties with “sumptuous food and colorful decorations” are expected, said the city council.
Because of these parties, the holidays are also the time when the volume of garbage increases – which makes an increased frequency in the collection of waste necessary to “keep the surroundings clean and tidy,” the city council said./PN
