Cenro: Providing trash bins in all public places ‘too expensive’ for city

The city cannot afford to put trash bins in all the city’s streets. | Contributed photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CCenro) has renewed its call for the public to dispose of their garbage properly.

Providing trash bins in public places, however, is a different story.

Lawyer John Jigo Dacua, head of CCenro, said it might be too expensive for the city government to put up garbage bins in public places around the city which supposedly would encourage the public to throw their trash properly.

“Tinuod na. Wala kaayo tay trash bins sa syudad pero dili pod kaya sa syudad nga magbutang og trash bins sa tanang dalan nato,” Dacua said on Monday, December 30.

(It is true that we don’t have many trash bins here in the city, but the city government cannot also afford to put up trash bins in all of our streets.)

“Ang akoa lang, dako kaayo na nga gasto para sa syudad kung magprovide og trash bins sa tanang public places,” he added.

(My concern is just that it would cost the city too much to provide trash bins in all public places.)

Dacua, instead, encouraged the public to be responsible with their trash, and keep it with them until they find an available garbage bin where they can dispose it.

“Common sense man na nga dili dapat magpataka og labay sa basura. Sayon ra man unta kaayo ang pagkupot sa basura, isulod sa bulsa unya inig abot kung asa siya paduong ilabay. Common sense gyud na. Maski mga batang gagmay kahibawo ana,” Dacua said.

(It is common sense not to throw garbage just anywhere. It is easy to just keep it with you. Put it inside your pocket and throw it when you can see a trash bin. That’s common sense. Even small children know that.)

Dacua said the public may also enter establishments along their way since businesses are required to have garbage bins.

“Anyway, moagi ka sa dalan, naa man gyud nay maagian nimo nga establishments. Ato man na sila nga girequire pagbutang og basurahan, sure ball nga duna gyud na silay basurahan,” said Dacua.

(Anyway, when you walk along the street, you can pass by establishments. They you can throw your garbage there because establishments are required to have trash bins in their areas.)

In October 2019, Engineer Joel Biton,  Department of Public Services (DPS) chief,  said they had allocated P8 million for the purchase of 1,000 pieces of 600-liter garbage bins in 2020.

The CCenro chief also said their office had been keeping an eye on vendors at the night market to ensure that they would clean their areas after they sold their goods.

“Molimpyo gyud sila dapat kay gitagaan silag opportunity nga mamaligya sa night market so dili lang unta nila bayaran og hugaw,” he added.

(They should clean their areas because they have been given the opportunity to sell at the night market and so they should not repay this by leaving their trash there.)/dbs