BULACAN Gov. Daniel Fernando has endorsed the recommendation of the Commission on Audit to investigate hauling contractors for failing to comply with their obligations regarding the collection of medical waste from government hospitals in the province.
In its 2020 audit released yesterday, the COA identified the garbage hauling contractors as Cleanway Environmental Management Solutions Inc. (CESI) and Servo-Treat Philippines Inc (STPI).
The CESI has a P12.92 million contract “for the hauling, treatment, and disposal of hazardous/health care wastes” while the STPI was awarded a P1.944 million contract for the hauling and disposal of general wastes.
Auditors noted that CESI’s contract specifically provides that the company will handle “pathogenic wastes, infectious waste, or healthcare waste, and mercury compounds (from busted fluorescent lamps).”
The identified service points are the Bulacan Medical Center (BMC), Annex-BMC, Baliuag District Hospital (BDH), Rogaciano M. Mercado Memorial Hospital (RMMMH), Emilio G. Perez Memorial District Hospital (EGPMDH), San Miguel District Hospital (SMDH), Gregorio H. del Pilar District Hospital (GDPDH), and Calumpit District Hospital (CDH).
While CESI was supposed to do a weekly pick-up or at least four times a month, the contractor only showed up once every two weeks, according to the COA.
“Interviews conducted also disclosed the stoppage of collection of hazardous wastes at SMDH for the period May to December 2020 which possibly led to exposure of accumulated hazardous/healthcare wastes around the SMDH. The collection of hazardous/healthcare at the SMDH was only resumed in January 2021,” the audit team said.
However, the Provincial General Services Office (PGSO) claimed during exit conference that CESI cannot be faulted for the stoppage of collection at SMDH on the ground that the hospital failed to secure a renewal of its environmental permit with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
SMDH personnel countered that their environmental permit expired only in October 2020 hence it remained in force from May to September 2020 but the contractor had already stopped collecting hazardous wastes by then.
They added that the application for renewal was duly filed online but the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions meant it was not acted on promptly.
