CAGAYAN de Oro City Mayor Rolando ‘Klarex’ Uy called on dump truck owners today to lend their vehicles so they can be deployed to pick up garbage that was uncollected in various parts of the city since the Holidays.
“I met (on) Wednesday with (key officials) and told them that let’s find solutions to this (garbage collection problem) rather than waste our time finding excuses and then accusing and blaming others. We are calling on owners of dump trucks to lend their vehicles while the (City Local Environment and Natural Resources Office) will supervise their drivers (to help collect the garbage),” Mayor Uy said in Visayan.
Mayor Uy made the call during his Friday radio program ‘Ang Inyong Alagad: Mayor Klarex Uy’ days after Clenro chief Engr. Armen Cuenca issued an advisory asking the public for patience while they find solutions to resolve the garbage collection problem.
Uy was thankful that some responded to his call, even spending their own fuel to help with the garbage collection problem.
In his advisory, Engr. Cuenca admitted that internal problems experienced by the city’s contracted garbage collection firm, IPM Waste CDO, led to the problem of uncollected garbage in parts of the city last December.
Rather than blame the company for the ongoing garbage problem, Mayor Uy said the company should explain its situation to the public.
“To their credit, they were able (to do a decent job collecting) the city’s garbage in past years,” Mayor Uy said in Visayan.
The mayor said he also deployed the trucks he used in his business to help Clenro pick up the uncollected garbage of city residents.
Mayor Uy also confirmed that he will order a public bidding for another garbage collection firm to service the city’s garbage collection efforts.
“I’m apologizing to the public for whatever inconvenience they experienced due to this garbage problem and it will take some time to resolve so I ask for their patience and understanding. Based on what is mandated by law and the mandates of both (the Department of Environment and Natural Resources) and (the Commission on Audit) contracting another company requires public bidding,’ Mayor Uy said in Visayan.
Uy said while he understands the public’s plight he doesn’t want to take shortcuts to solve the garbage problem.
In separate interviews, both Engr. Cuenca and City Councilor Roger Abaday voiced support for another contractor to service the city’s garbage collection.
Cuenca, in particular, said it would be preferable if the contractor is city-based so they can be easily accountable to the public. (Stephen Capillas of City Information Office)
