Today’s special session to tackle waste disposal; 10 dads to attend

Cebu City Vice Mayor Labella, who will be at the session, says political posturings should be set aside to address the issue

CEBU City Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella assured the public that he will convince all the members of the City Council to attend the special session today so they can address the concern on garbage disposal.

Regardless of political affiliation, Labella said councilors should attend if they are not out of the country.

Francisco “Bimbo” Fernandez, executive assistant of Osmeña, already assured that all six Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswa- gan councilors will attend. So too will “independent” councilors Dave Tumulak and Nendell Hanz Abella.

Team Rama Councilors Joel Garganera and Jose Daluz III also confirmed their attendance.

“For me, the issue of garbage is life and death. We can set aside partisan posturings if only to address the issue on garbage,” Labella said.

Mayor Tomas Osmeña is asking the council to hold a special session today to approve a resolution, which will authorize him to enter into a contract with a service provider that will handle the city’s garbage disposal.

He formally wrote the council yesterday.

Emergency purchase

The executive department is working on an emergency purchase to hire a service provider that will be tasked to dispose of all the trash that will be collected after the Inayawan Sanitary Landfill and the temporary transfer station at the South Road Properties (SRP) were ordered closed.

Under the Local Government Code, Labella explained, Osmeña can call a special session anytime if it concerns a very important issue.

Since the year is about to end, the council had its last session last Tuesday. It won’t convene again until next year.

To be able to transact business, the council will need at least nine members, including Labella as presiding officer, to achieve a quorum.

Osmeña said the P9.2 million in available funds will be used to pay for the garbage disposal until Dec. 31.

Based on estimates, the City will need to pay P1,400 for every ton of garbage that the service provider will dispose. The amount will include the payment for the hauling of the garbage from the transfer station at SRP to its final disposal and the use of garbage trucks.

The previous administration paid Asian Energy Systems Corp. P1,500 for the tipping fee.

The City, though, hopes it can get a rate lower than P1,400 since the project still needs to undergo bidding.