CAGAYAN de Oro City Councilor Maximo Rodriguez Jr. yesterday, September 30, urged City Local Environment and Natural Resources Office (Clenro) chief Armen Cuenca to personally attend environment committee hearings instead of sending representatives.
“Palihog ko, igna nga gimingaw mi, Sir,” Rodriguez told a Clenro representative, asking that the message be relayed to Cuenca to appear at the next hearing.
The environment committee, chaired by Councilor Enrico Salcedo, held a hearing Monday to discuss waste segregation. Clenro was represented by its Waste Division Control chief, Edgardo Naguio.
Minority floor leader Agapito Suan earlier told Gold Star Daily that Cuenca has rarely been present at committee hearings.
“Taud-taud na gyud,” Suan said in an interview two weeks ago.
Records show Cuenca last attended a committee hearing in May.
During the session, Suan also raised concerns about strict enforcement of the city’s “no segregation, no collection” policy.
“If we strictly implement the no segregation, no collection, at what cost? The city will be garbage filled,” Suan said, noting uncollected trash piling up in schools, sidewalks and business establishments.
Salcedo asked what Clenro has done for barangays not yet prepared to separate biodegradable and nonbiodegradable waste.
Naguio responded that compliance deadlines would be adjusted with assistance from the city’s new garbage contractor, Water Waste Systems.
Salcedo pointed out that waste segregation should be treated as a shared responsibility.
The next committee hearing on environment issues is set for Oct 16, with the new garbage contractor and other agencies invited to attend.Cuenca has yet to respond to Rodriguez’s call for his presence at future hearings
