MARAWI City’s 54 sanitation workers are a hardworking lot but they are fighting a losing battle against the ever-increasing volume of garbage generated by residents, establishments, and industries.
In a 29-page report released last November 19, the Commission on Audit (COA) revealed that the city only has 11 garbage trucks servicing its 101 barangays.
It said that an inevitable breakdown of any of the trucks would mean heavier loads and longer running hours for each vehicle.
Five of the trucks are full-sized dump trucks with a crew of six composed on one driver and five collectors serving 25 of the biggest barangays including Marawi Poblacion.
The other six haulers are categorized as mini-dump trucks with one driver assisted by three collectors each.
All 11 vehicles are kept rolling seven days a week to ensure that trash do not pile up.
The City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) is well aware of the problem, but until the local government coughs up funding and navigates through the procurement process, the same overworked vehicles and crew would have to hold out.
“The inadequate capacity of the garbage vehicle was due to the limited number of vehicles available for waste collection and transportation within the city. With only 11 garbage vehicles serving the 101 barangays, a single vehicle had to cover a large area daily or every other day to collect a significant amount of waste,” the audit team said.
With zero room for additional trips on a tight schedule, the trucks are always overflowing. Inevitably, some of its funky cargo spill on the streets creating potential health problems.
“This situation could ultimately pose environmental risks, such as pollution and health hazards, by attracting pests and vermin,” the audit team warned.
Marawi City officials agreed with the observations and assured the auditors that additional dump trucks are on the top of the local government’s shopping list in the immediate period.
“The management commented that they are fully committed to addressing the recommendations provided. Acquiring additional vehicles with proper specifications is their essential step to prevent spillage and enhance the safety of waste transportation,” the COA said.
A copy of the report was submitted to the office of City Mayor Majul Gandamra on August 15, 2024.
The Citizen Participatory Audit Report was prepared by a team of seven state auditors and eight civil society organization representatives from Siyap ko Pagtaw Operation for People Empowerment Inc. (SIYAP).
