CAGAYAN de Oro City Councilor Enrico Salcedo said yesterday, September 1 that Tencil, a garbage collection company whose contract has expired, is volunteering to continue its services for the city without pay.
Salcedo said the city has not yet awarded a contract to a new bidder because of pending paperwork. Because of the delay, Tencil offered to continue collecting garbage, which is why their trucks are still seen around the city.
“Nag boluntaryo, wala nanay bayad,” Salcedo said.
To supplement Tencil’s efforts, the city’s contingency plan includes using dump trucks from the city engineering office.
“Dili mag kompyansa, dili nato isangon tanan kay nag problema gani nga gabayran sila, how much karon nga nag volunteer nalang,” Salcedo said, noting that he had advised the City Local Environment and Natural Resources Office (Clenro) not to rely solely on Tencil’s volunteer work.
He also expressed gratitude to the company.
“Pasalamatan gyapon nato ang Tencil at least mamawi sila sa ilang kakulangon sa ilang pag kolekta sa basura nga nakahimo ug problema sa atong syudad,” Salcedo said.
In a separate interview yesterday with Brigada News Cagayan de Oro, Mayor Rolando Uy confirmed that the new bidder has not yet been awarded the contract because it lacks a Certificate of Environmental Compliance (ECC).
“Adunay kakulangon nga dili pwede tungod kay wala syay ECC, maoy pinaka bililhon sa tanan,” Uy said.
Uy said he hopes the delay will not extend until December. He assured the public that the city’s contingency plan is in place, including the use of city vehicles and soliciting help from private companies with dump trucks.
Salcedo said that even with a new bidder, the city's solid waste management problem will persist because it is “everyone’s responsibility.” He noted that only a few barangays have Material Recovery Facilities (MRF).
“Kinahanglan i-segregate ang basura,” Salcedo said, emphasizing that segregation is the only way to achieve efficient solid waste management.
