Only 4 Davao City barangays comply with Solid Waste Act: COA

ONLY four of 182 barangays in Davao City maintain material recovery facilities in violation of Section 32, RA 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, the Commission on Audit revealed in its report released last June 22.

This means 98 percent of barangays in President Duterte’s hometown are non-compliant with the law aimed at promoting recycling to bring down the city’s expense in hauling fees and reducing the volume of garbage that end up in landfills.

A breakdown of the city government’s operating expenses in 2016 showed it shelled out P151.735 million for “environment/sanitary services,” which was P17.02 million higher than what it spent for the same purpose in 2015.

Based on the record of the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO), there are supposed to be 16 MRFs already built and operating but onsite inspection by government auditors revealed the existing MRFs are located only in Barangays Crossing Bayabas, Dumoy, Hizon, and Mahayag.

“Previously established MRFs in Barangay Gov. Paciano Bangoy, San Antonio – Agdao, Centro – San Juan, Lapu-lapu, Sasa, Matina Pangi, and Calinan Proper were discontinued due to a variety of reasons such as funding and changes in priorities of the administration,” auditors said.

It is not that Davao City’s barangay executives do not understand their obligations under the law as COA even noted that “awareness of the Solid Waste Management Act is high” among them. The problem is the failure of the city official concerned to enforce the law.

“Interviews with barangay officials from Dumoy, Calinan Proper, Matina Pangi, and Indangan revealed that the City Environment and Natural Resource Office allows the collection of non-segregated wastes and the mixing of source-separated waste with other solid wastes,” the COA said.

Residents surveyed by government auditors from 14 of Davao City’s most populated barangays confirmed these observations. The figures all pointed at laxity in implementation: 84 percent of respondents said the CENRO permits collection of non-segregated/unsorted wastes, 78 percent said the city does not use separate collection schedules for bio-degradable and non-bio-degradable waste, and 62 percent said even waste already separated at the source were mixed together anyway during collection.

“These practices increase not only the volume of waste for collection and disposal defeating the purpose of waste segregation but also the spending for private hauling services. In addition, disposal of non-segregated or unsorted wastes in the sanitary landfill instead of strictly residual wastes reduces the useful life of the facility,” the COA pointed out.

These were verified during site inspection at the Davao Sanitary Landfill located at Barangay New Carmen in Tugbok, Davao City.

Engr. Elisa P. Madrazo, CENRO Davao City, acknowledged the audit findings but defended the office, saying she relied in good faith that the city barangays will “exercise due diligence in performing their functions as mandated by law.”

Madrazo assured auditors that CENRO will work to strengthen enforcement of RA 9003 by closely monitoring and coordinating with each barangay. (Malaya Business Insight) Photo Credit: Rappler.

PDP-Laban won’t collect fees for barangay posts

Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

The Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) does not and will not solicit or collect “fees” for barangay positions, said party leader and Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III.

“PDP-Laban and any other group, especially those supportive of President Duterte will not, does not and cannot have such a program asking for money in exchange for a chance to be considered as barangay appointees,” Pimentel told the Inquirer in a phone interview.

In the first place, Pimentel said there was still no law scrapping the barangay elections set for October, much less authorizing the appointment of about 42,000 village chiefs across the country.

Pimentel warned the public against believing the scam of some individuals who were using the name of PDP-Laban to ask for “registration fees” or payments from those who wanted to be appointed barangay officials.

Shady activities

He said the cash collections were supposedly in exchange for inclusion in a list that would be used in appointing barangay officials when the barangay elections were postponed.

Pimentel said incidents were monitored in Pampanga, Bicol and also certain areas in Mindanao.

To thwart shady activities like this, he said the PDP-Laban was accelerating its reorganization nationwide and designating people in areas not yet covered by the party.

“In this way, people will be clear on who is the party’s point person per province so that when a group goes to Pampanga to solicit money in the name of the party, the member can easily [countercheck] with the point person,” he said.

President Duterte is seeking to postpone the barangay elections, claiming that 40 percent of officials in the country’s over 42,000 barangays were either corrupt or into illegal drugs. (Inquirer.net)

Barangay Tanods Kill 2 Abu Sayyaf Terrorists

Two Abu Sayyaf terrorists were killed following an encounter with members of the Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team (BPAT) in Basilan on Thursday.

The killed bandits were identified as Abu Sayyaf members Nasirin Awwalin and Hasmin Lajid.

It was learned that members of the Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team (BPT) 4 of Barangay Guinanta, Albarka, Basilan engaged in a two-hour gun battle members of the Abu Sayyaf led by Sarwin Kasaram in Barangay Guinanta at 12:50 p.m. Thursday.

Kasaram is a follower of sub-leader Nurhassan Jamiri.

Troops of the Joint Task Force Basilan continue to conduct checkpoints to thwart the extrication of the Abu Sayyaf members.

Meanwhile, the offensives launched by the Alpha Company of the 10th Infantry Battalion resulted in a fierce gun battle between the operating troops and the Abu Sayyaf bandits in Barangay Tandu Bagua, Patikul, Sulu at 5:30 a.m. Thursday.

The troops were acting on reported sightings of the Abu Sayyaf bandits and their kidnap victims in the area of engagement.

The said armed confrontation lasted for 20 minutes, after which the Abu Sayyaf bandits fled, bringing with them their casualties.

A soldier died and 10 other personnel sustained wounds and were promptly extricated for medical treatment at the Kuta Heneral Teodulfo Hospital in Barangay Busbus, Jolo, Sulu.

Lieutenant General Carlito G. Galvez, Jr., the Commander of the Western Mindanao Command assured they will give their utmost best to track and eventually capture the bandits. (Tempo) 

Barangay chief nabbed for illegal possession of firearm

Photo Credit: PNP Lipa Facebook

A village chief has been arrested for keeping an unlicensed firearm in his residence in Lipa City in Batangas province, police said.

Chief Inspector Zyrus Serrano, Batangas Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) provincial officer, said the suspect, Barangay (village) San Guillermo Chairman Rodelio Fajutag, 60, was arrested in his own village on May 25.

Serrano said that joint forces from the Batangas CIDG, CIDG Region 4A and Batangas Provincial Public Safety Office implemented a search warrant against Fajutag at around 7 a.m.  Judge Agripino Morga of San Pablo City issued the search warrant against Fajutag for his alleged violation of Republic Act 10591, otherwise known as the “Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.”

Recovered from the suspect were a .45-pistol, a magazine and five rounds of live ammunition for the firearm.

Fajutag and the confiscated pieces of evidence were brought to the CIDG Batangas Office for documentation and proper disposition while police prepared charges against the suspect. (Inquirer.net)

Lady Barangay Kagawad In Hot Water for Immorality

A female Barangay 16 kagawad is being accused of having an extramarital affair with the husband of a resident.


In a complaint affidavit filed before the Bacolod City Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP), the complainant, whose identity is being withheld, said she discovered the extramarital affair in 2010 while she was working abroad.


She confronted her husband and said her husband promised to end the affair. Recently, however, the complainant discovered the affair never ended, adding, her husband has not provided financial support for their two children.


“The affair has caused mental anguish and brought shame upon my family,” said the wife.


The complainant pointed out, as an elected official, the kagawad is expected to be an example, however, she is exhibiting the opposite and acting as an example of immorality. (Watchman Daily Journal).

MIMAROPA Barangays Win Best Sanitation Practices

Several MIMAROPA barangays were selected to be the winners for the Barangay Best Sanitation Practices (BBSP).  Two of them are barangays Mainit in Boac, Marinduque and Masaguisi in Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro. 

Cash incentives were also given to other 2016 BBSP winners which included barangays Nunsora with Php150,000 and Agnocnoc with Php50,000 both in located in Ferrol, Romblon; and barangays Sagana and Ipil in Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro with Php50,000 each. “These incentives will be used to sustain and further improve their program in health and sanitation in the community”.

All the regional nominees were evaluated by the Regional Technical Working Group based on the following criteria: 1) households with sanitary toilet facilities, 25%; coverage of households with access of safe water, 25%; improvement in sanitary toilet, 25%; approved barangay budget for water and sanitation. Local sanitation initiatives such as wastewater, solid waste management, clean and green program, legislative support and community involvement are also included.

“MIMAROPA is still lagging behind in terms of hygiene and sanitation practices, there are still areas in the region that practice open defecation and unhygienic toilet habits. Having been recognized as barangays with the best sanitation practices, may you lead as examples in ensuring that other LGUs in your province will follow in improving sanitation practices because these are serious issues that affect not only health but also our social and economic status,” Janairo emphasized.

“Sanitation and hygiene has been proven to provide gains on public health, livelihood and to the community. It is essential for everyone to learn about these things to be able to prevent various diseases that can be caused due to poor maintenance of hygienic surroundings”, he concluded. (Marinduque News)

Cagayan de Oro Barangay Issued IDs to Marawi Displaced Persons

 

Barangay Balulang officials have distributed identification cards (ID) to over 1000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Marawi City who are currently staying with their relatives in the barangay.

As reported in an article from SunStar, the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWD) together with police, barangay officials of Balulang started to distribute IDs at the barangay covered court.

The ID is to keep track of every person who came from Marawi City. Thus, Balulang is listing down the names of each IDP and every ID handed to them is authorized and acknowledge by the barangay chief, homeowners association president and the police. 

The ID will be serving as the basis for any relief assistance that will be extended by the CSWD.

The name of the holder and its address in Marawi City will be stated in the ID.

With the increasing number of visitors from Marawi City, the barangay official of Balulang has already requested assistance from the authorities.

Tight security patrols is expected within the area as to ensure the safety of everyone in the community. (About Cagayan de Oro)