Jomara in danger of not being paid

The company that transports Cebu City’s garbage to a landfill in Aloguinsan town “violated” a provision of its contract with the city, it might end up not being paid.

Former city administrator and currently Executive Assistant to the Mayor Francisco “Bimbo” Fernandez cited this possibility during a press conference yesterday.

“There is a violation of the contract…basin iquestion sa COA (Commission on Audit) ang contract then mo-ana nga we shouldn’t pay them. Malipay ta ana pero ang kalipay short term ra kay kung dili nato bayran moundang na sila, di na sila mohaul sa atoang garbage,”

he said.

It turned out the landfill in Aloguinsan did not have an Environmental Compliance Certificate issued by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and Jomara Konstruckt Corporation’s contract with the city specifically stipulated that it should dispose of the city’s trash in a sanitary landfill that has an approved ECC or that it must have an existing agreement with a landfill that has an ECC.

Fernandez said COA and the DENR might question the payment.

He said that although the problem is Jomara’s and not the city’s, City Hall is willing to help in any way it can. He hoped DENR would help Jomara look for an area where it can dump Cebu City’s garbage. “Unta dili lang mo

regulate ang DENR but tudloan og unsay angay nga buhaton. I hope nga motabang sila to look for an area para sa service provider. Bisan kato sa Consolacion naa toy mga violations,” he said, referring to Asian Energy System Corporation’s landfill where the city used to dump its garbage.

Earlier, Department of Public Services Assistant Head John Paul Gelasque said that based on information he got from a Jomara representative, the company is disposing of the city’s trash both in Aloguinsan and in Consolacion.

Landfill owner Rafael Moreno, son of Aloguinsan Mayor Augustus Caesar Moreno, is set to have a technical meeting with DENR this Friday.

Meanwhile, City Councilor Joel Garganera, who heads the City Council committee on environment, said regularity was presumed when the city engaged Jomara’s services for the firm to dump its garbage in Aloguinsan.

“Since there are findings and requisites nga they’ve not been complied with so they should comply with the DENR requirements. Basta ang akoa

lang the Inayawan landfill was closed and the SRP (South Road Properties) nga transfer station nawala. That’s my only concern,” he told reporters.