ILOILO City – To have more efficient and sustainable solid waste management (SWM) services, the city government is adjusting the garbage collection fee starting this year.
General Services Office (GSO) head Engr. Neil Ravena said it is high time for the city to increase the garbage fee considering that for years, it has been covering over 80 percent of the operating costs.
He noted that adjustment is even long overdue. Garbage fees have not been increased in the past 16 years.
“Based on the computation, the city government spent more for garbage collection and disposal compared to the collected fees. There’s a very big difference, so we made adjustments to lessen the impacts of subsidizing this service,” Ravena explained.
Based on Cost-of-Service Analysis (COSA) done in 2023, the SWM operating costs in 2022 reached P365,652,709.61. However, the garbage fees collected were only P55,927,211.
This was an increase from 2021 expenses of P332,825,268.76, with garbage fee collection of only P55,801,000.
Thus, the city government had to subsidize P309,725,498.61, or 84.70 percent, to pay for SWM operations in 2022; and P277,024,268.76, or 82.23 percent, in 2021.
Based on the 2021 Waste Analysis and Characterization Study (WACS), the waste generated per day per capita in Iloilo City is 1.08 kilogram or 496 tons, while the average volume of garbage disposed at the city’s Sanitary Landfill is 304 tons per day.
Ravena stressed that the recommendation to adjust the garbage fee went through due process.
COSA was determined through the technical assistance extended by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the “Clean City Blue Ocean (CCBO)” project.
City Hall is partnering with USAID for CCBO, its flagship program for implementing the Save Our Seas 2.0 Act and reducing the estimated 11 million tons of plastic that flow into the ocean each year.
Following the COSA, SWM service rates were reviewed and adjusted accordingly.
Public hearings were also conducted wherein COSA’s results were presented.
Similarly, a new ordinance was approved, increasing the current rates.
Meanwhile, other identified potential funding options and cost reduction strategies include charging SWM users’ fees to city visitors and tourists, partnering with the barangay to collect SWM fees from households without Real Property Tax (RPT), and increasing penalties for violators.
With the implementation of new sources, the SWM subsidy level will reduce from 85% in 2023 to only 58%, 53%, and 51% in 2024, 2025, and 2026, respectively.
SOCIAL-BEHAVIORAL CHANGE FOR SWM
Ravena emphasized that their efforts do not just stop on collecting garbage but also on strategizing on how to get the community involved in proper waste management.
Since December 2023, they have started conducting social-behavioral change-related activities such as house-to-house assessment. Up to this year, the target is 18 barangays.
The activity includes a survey to determine the gaps, analyze it and find the solution.
For one, there are areas in the city that are not accessible by dump trucks, thus, there is a need to establish collection points.
“The barangay will help the households on how to bring their waste to the collection point. At the same time, the barangay will assign the collection time,” Ravena said.
Likewise, they are assisted on how to segregate their waste, from residuals to recyclables.
Moreover, there are 10 barangays this year that are being assessed for the crafting of their respective SWM Plan, with the help of Central Philippine University (CPU).
“We are doing all these to improve the efficiency of our SWM and as compliance to RA 9003 (Solid Waste Management Act). We should not just rely on increasing the garbage fee,” Ravena emphasized.
In last year’s survey, the city’s SWM service got a good satisfaction rating of 93 percent.
GREENING EFFORTS
Complementing the effort on making the city clean is the intensified greening and massive tree-planting activities, a testament to the city’s commitment to environmental protection.
Since August 2019 to December 2023, through the city’s Urban Tree Planting Program, around 30, 776 trees, mostly native species, have already been planted all over the city with seedlings provided by the Caingin Tree Nursery.
Mayor Jerry P. Treñas’ Executive Assistant for Environment Armando Dayrit said this year’s target is to propagate 20, 000 more seedlings.
The city has an ongoing Tree Park Network Project which will establish eco-forests in three districts, namely: Tree Park at Lanit, Jaro worth P22.8 million; Beach Forest at Boulevard, Molo, P31.9 million; and Mangrove Eco-Park at Hinactacan, La Paz, P48.7 million.
This greening initiative of the city was showcased by Treñas during the World Governments Summit in Dubai on Feb. 12 to 14.
“I attended the World Governments Summit in Dubai and joined the round table discussions of mayors. I shared the Tree Park Network of Iloilo City consisting of three, in conjunction with the rehabilitation of seven district plazas and the mangroves at the Esplanades,” Treñas said.
SUSTAINING THE CLEAN CITY STATUS
Iloilo City has been hailed as Clean Tourist City 2020-2022 by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The award is given to cities that have endeavored to beautify public areas, improved the environment and sanitation, enhanced urban spaces and promoted their man-made and natural attractions.
Eyed as model city, local government units (LGUs) in the country have visited Iloilo City for benchmarking.
Last year, among the LGUs that conducted a benchmarking activity in the metro was Dulag, Leyte headed by Mayor Mildred Joy P. Que.
“It is because of all those things and the good governance that your good mayor is doing here in Iloilo. That is what we want to replicate, good leaders should be replicated all over the country so we can see a very progressive Philippines,” Que said.
Peter Verlei, 49-year old tourist from Melbourne, Australia and a first-time visitor in Iloilo City, expressed his admiration of its beauty and cleanliness.
“I could say that I am very impressed by the beautification projects and the fact the they are working towards sustainable clean and green environment is fantastic and should be commended,” he said.
He has been in the city for a couple of days only, yet he enjoyed it and still look forward to explore more of Iloilo’s best.
He got to taste Ilonggo food and specifically mentioned La Paz batchoy.
Forty-year old Michelle Libo-on, 42 of Leganes, Iloilo also lauded the effort of the city government in maintaining the cleanliness of the city.
“Para sa akon maayo gid nga gina-maintain nila nga malimpyo ang city para manami man tan-awon, dayun katawhay lang. Nami na siya lagawan kay wala higko,” she said.
She would definitely recommend to her friends from other places to visit Iloilo City.
“Kada post ko gani sa social media, ang mga friends ko nagahambal kanami sang inyo lugar,” Libo-on added./PN
