CAGAYAN de Oro City’s partnership with Tencil, a new “volunteer” cleanup initiative, appears to function as a remedial measure for ongoing service issues.
What is now described as volunteerism could be more accurately viewed as a response to Tencil’s earlier challenges in garbage collection.
This arrangement masks the reality that Tencil is undertaking necessary cleanup actions related to its service provision.
For months, residents have complained about missed pickups, overflowing bins, and a general decline in sanitation. These aren’t isolated incidents — they’re a pattern of negligence by a firm that has consistently failed to meet its contractual obligations.
So when, agaw Eric Salcedo told Gold Star Daily that Tencil will be collecting garbage “voluntarily,” that’s what we report.
A troll account with the same name of the company has posted our news article, claiming our news, quoting Salcedo that Tencil is collecting garbage voluntarily as “fake news” on September 3 at 10:38 am.
The troll account posted a screenshot of our news article, adding the caption:
“We didn’t ‘volunteer’ to continue collecting garbage — we were told that if we stopped, we wouldn’t get paid for the work we’ve already done. That’s not volunteering, that’s pressure. Our workers kept going because they needed to, not because the city asked nicely. Let’s be honest with the public.”
For the information of your 99 followers, Tencil, you are barking up the wrong tree.
We reported on what Salcedo said. If anything, direct your anger at my agaw. Not us, you inefficient trash-collecting pieces of sunshine!
Instead of facing fines or losing its contract, Tencil has been given a public relations lifeline.
By framing mandatory extra work as a benevolent act, the company avoids the harsh consequences of its poor performance.
This ‘volunteer’ work, as claimed by Salcedo, is the equivalent of a student failing a test and being asked to ‘volunteer’ for extra credit to pass the class.
It’s not an act of charity; it’s a desperate measure to salvage a failing grade.
This arrangement is an insult to the people who have had to live with the stench and unsightliness of uncollected trash.
It’s also a slap in the face to genuine volunteers who donate their time and effort without the threat of a penalty.
True volunteerism is a selfless act motivated by a desire to help others.
Tencil’s cleanup is a self-serving necessity driven by the need to protect its bottom line and public image.
The city should demand accountability, not accept a PR stunt.
The citizens of this city deserve a reliable, efficient garbage collection service, not a company that pretends to be a hero after proving itself to be a villain.
