City Hall to make monthly pest control operation

A monthly pest control operation and inspection will be conducted by the Building Maintenance Section of the Cebu City Hall after some councilors complained about the presence of rats, cockroaches, and termites in their offices.

BMS head Engr. Majelito Cajes said they already conducted pest control operation on December 27 and 30 last year with pest control service provider MAPECON Philippines Inc. but it was not enough.

“Daghan kaayo’g nangamatay tungod atong pag-pest control namo sa ing-ana nga klaseng mananap. Unya karon, naabtan og pila ka buwan, namalik nasad. Para maka-ingon ta nga totally mawala gyud, ma-zero gyud, monthly treatment nalang gyud,” Cajes said.

He said he sent out a memo to the different departments of City Hall instructing them not leave around food and properly dispose of their garbage as these will attract pests.

“Ang amo nalang ani, nagpa-memo nalang mi sa ubang mga opisina ba na kaning ilahang mga sud-an, kaning ilang mga leftovers nga pagkaon dili nalang namo ipasulod sa ilahang mga hunos ba. Tungod man gud ni sa baho maong motultol ang ilaga dinha,” he said.

He also ordered the inspection of open canals and drainage systems near the City Hall, where he believes the pests came from.

“Nangita ko’g laing measure nga at least ang ilaga gikan sa gawas, dili ka penetrate dinhi sa sud. So ang akong gihimo, akong giptan-aw ang mga lungag-lungag diha sa gawas, ako gipangdetermine kung asa jud posible mo-agi ang ilaga gikan sa gawas,” he said.

The city government allocated P48,000 for pest control services in the City Hall, which includes rat abatement program, general pest abatement, maintenance program, and termite abatement maintenance program.

“Kani pa ang una namo’g treat, ang duha ka building (legislative and executive), naa pa man gud mga satellite office nga wala pa nato matreat. Tungod sad sa limited sad ang atong budget,” he said.

He said he will also look into the chemicals and pesticides used by MAPECON Philippines Inc.since he admitted that he cannot assure its effectivity in totally getting rid of pests.

Mayor Tomas Osmeña said he also had problems with cockroaches in his office a few months ago.

“We’d have to get better pest control. We have a pest control [but] they’re not doing their job,” Osmeña said.

Jaramae Pahugot, a city hall maintenance worker, believes that the pest problem will not be resolved until the employees learn to throw their trashes properly.

“Magkolekta mi sa basura sa mga ginagmay nga trashcan sa mga opisina kada alas 3 sa hapon. Basta makuhaan na gani, dapat dili najud siya sudlan, dili najud butangan aron nga pagka-ugma, pagkagabii, dili na mag-atake ang mga ilaga. Pero butangan ra man gihapon,” Pahugot said.

“Mao man na ang ilang apason. Pagkabuntag manilhig na mi og manglimpyo mi, pwerting daghana og basura. Ang uban wala na, gi-ukay na sa mga ilaga, mangita man sila’g pagkaon inig ka gabii,” she added.

On Tuesday, the Cebu City Council approved a resolution for inspection of the City Hall legislative building, stating that pests in the city hall pose health threats to the employees.