Moreno bemoans city garbage woes anew

DURING the 122nd regular session of the 20th City Council, Councilor Imee Rose Moreno once again lamented the city’s persistent garbage collection issues —a matter she had initially brought to the council’s attention in January 2024.

Public Outcry Over Uncollected Waste

“We all know that this is a serious matter. I am not blaming the local government of Cagayan de Oro because everybody has a role to play. But somehow, we have to understand the root cause of the problem,” said Moreno.

In her special report, Moreno cited that images of uncollected garbage have been circulating on social media.

With this, she strongly urged the management of Tencil, the private contractor responsible for waste collection in the city, to directly appear before a committee meeting.

In previous instances, she noted, that concerns regarding garbage collection were addressed not by Tencil’s management but by Engr. Armen Cuenca, the head of the City Local Environment and Natural Resources Office (CLENRO).

Moreno emphasized the importance of accountability, pointing out that the city allocates P300 million annually to Tencil for its services.

“If Tencil, our contractor, cannot deliver the services that we have paid for, that means something is wrong,” she further stated.

Majority Floor Leader Atty. Edgar Cabanlas agreed with Moreno’s call, stating that he, too, prefers that the management directly face the City Council rather than rely on Engr. Cuenca to speak on their behalf.

Implementation of Waste Management Ordinance

In the session, Councilor Moreno cited City Ordinance No. 13378-2018, also known as the Integrated Ecological Solid Waste Management Ordinance of Cagayan de Oro, which provides comprehensive guidelines for effective waste management across the city.

Upon review, Moreno noted that the ordinance is only being partially implemented. She particularly cited the ten-year Solid Waste Management Plan (2014–2024) referenced in the ordinance, suggesting that its incomplete execution may be a factor to the ongoing issues in garbage collection.

Moreno also underscored the continuing blame-shifting among city government departments, barangay officials, and residents, describing the situation as a “chicken-and-egg” scenario.

Nevertheless, she stressed that the local government must take the lead in addressing the problem.

To address these matters comprehensively, Councilor Moreno proposed a joint committee meeting involving the committee on environment, on barangay affairs, and on health.

Atty. Cabanlas, who chairs the committee on laws and rules, also moved that his committee be included in the proposed meeting. (SPEscoltos/SP)