FROM SPORTS TO SCRAP.

Barangay converts its sports complex into a temporary holding area for collected garbage

To keep garbage off the streets, officials of Barangay Guadalupe in Cebu City are temporarily using their sports complex as a holding area for trash. Only 7 of the barangay’s 9 garbage trucks can manage the drive to Consolacion, where the city dumps its waste in a privately operated landfill.

Barangay Councilman David Suzara clarifies that the area is not a dumping site, says the garbage will be taken to the landfill in Consolacion the next day

TO MAKE sure all wastes are properly managed, Barangay Guadalupe in Cebu City is temporarily using its sports complex as a holding area for garbage.

However, the barangay clarified that the area is not a dumping site and only truck drivers and loaders are allowed to place the garbage that they have collected in the facility.

Guadalupe Councilman David Suzara said not all of the barangay’s garbage trucks are able to dispose of the waste they collect every day in the landfill in Consolacion town.

‘Not a landfill’

“We don’t want to see garbage being dumped on the road that is why we told our truck drivers to just collect it even if they can’t dispose (of) it in Consolacion,” Suzara told Sun.Star Cebu in a phone interview.

Guadalupe, being the biggest barangay in the city, has nine garbage trucks, but only seven are serviceable. The other two are under repair. However, only five trucks are allowed to dump garbage in Consolacion since the others are not in good travel condition.

Suzara said garbage truck drivers also need to wait at least two hours before they can enter and dump their load in the landfill.

“What they see in front of the complex is not a landfill, the garbage there is just temporary because it will be transported to Consolacion the following day,” Suzara said.

He pointed out that the garbage in front of the sports complex are placed inside sacks for sanitation purposes.

Indefinite

Since the Inayawan Sanitary Landfill was totally shut down last month, Suzara said disposal of their garbage has been a problem because the new dumping area in Consolacion is far.

“Layo ang byahe unya di kasugakod ang mga gar- bage truck maong problema gyod mi ani (Aside from being far, some of the trucks can’t make the trip),” Suzara said.

He said they don’t know when they’ll stop using the sports complex as a holding area. “Wa pa gyod ta kahibaw ana hangtod nga di ma-klaro ang atong dumping area sa City (We’ll only know when the City finds a permanent dumping area),” he said.