City Council raises alarm over garbage collection woes

GARBAGE collection failures resurfaced as a major concern during a joint committee meeting of the City Council on May 23, 2025, prompting calls for urgent and sustainable solutions.

Councilor Romeo V. Calizo lamented that the City Engineering Office had to step in to cover lapses in Tencil’s garbage services. “We are stepping in for a private company we hired. Our people deserve better,” he said.

With Tencil’s contract which expired on May 24, Calizo also questioned the proposed 90-day extension requested by CLENRO. City Legal representative Anton Resma confirmed the extension is legal and necessary to ensure uninterrupted services while the procurement process for a new contractor is underway.

Still, Calizo pressed for a legal basis and faster access to draft contracts and documents, citing the urgency of councilors’ legislative duties. Resma said public documents are accessible via PhilGEPS and clarified timelines under the Anti-Red Tape Act.

Councilor Roger G. Abaday, chairman of the committee on environment, supported transparency but reminded members that protocols must be followed when requesting public records.

Resma said the Tencil contract is under review by the City Legal Office, and liabilities will be addressed once findings are finalized. “We have to protect the interests of the city,” he noted.

The meeting was held in coordination with the committees on health, barangay affairs, and laws, following a special report earlier delivered by Councilor Imee Rose P. Moreno. (JAOclarit/SP)