Baguio locals are urged to assist the government in reducing spending on garbage management

DT | Baguio locals are urged to assist the government in reducing spending on garbage management | BAGUIO CITY – On Sunday, city residents were asked to help the city government get rid of trash, which will save money in the long run.

The chair of the Committee on Health, Ecology, and Environmental Concerns, Councillor Betty Lourdes Tabanda, also asked city citizens, government and non-government organisations, and civic groups to help reduce garbage and save money for the city government.

“Let’s work together and get involved to help cut down on trash. This will lead to less trash being hauled to the engineered sanitary landfill, which will save the city money on hauling, tipping fees, and fuel.”

Tabanda said that the city government spends at least PHP230 million every year taking trash to the plains to be thrown away. He added that the money could be used for other programmes that are better for the city and its people.

Since 2012, the city government has paid to have trash taken to a private sanitary landfill in Tarlac or Urdaneta, Pangasinan. This is because the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) told the city to close the open pit dumpsite in Barangay Irisan, which had been in use for almost 50 years.

Tabanda said that the millions of dollars spent on hauling, tips, and other fees to make sure the city doesn’t smell could have been used for better things, like helping kids get jobs, getting health care, education, and social services.

“There are ways to make less garbage. Let’s cut back, reuse, and recycle so we don’t make as much trash. We can also take part in gathering e-waste so that others can fix it and use it again,” she said. (via PNA)