Lack of garbage trucks has caused missed and late garbage pick-ups of city residents and is expected to continue for as long as delivery of the needed spare parts for two trucks that are down with mechanical problems.

Lito Taladua, Chief of the Solid Waste Management Office (SWMO) of the City of Tagbilaran told DYRD Balita that only 4 garbage trucks out of 6 are employed to carry the more than 30 tons of garbage the city generates daily.

Also affected are garbage from the Tagbilaran Central Market, Cogon Market and Manga Market including the Tagbilaran Fish Port.

With a population of 105,055, segregation at source, as mandated by RA 9003 known as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2003 has a compliance rate of 60% for business establishments with the rest of households still relying on garbage trucks for their unsegregated garbage.

The lack of material recovery facilities in the 15 barangays of Tagbilaran City has contributed to the mounting trash that garbage trucks have to load with a mix of biodegradable and non-biodegradable wastes.

Due to the late pick-ups of garbage, residents leave their trash in the streets attracting stray dogs that feast on left-overs.

Taladua appealed to city residents to observe the proper way to dispose their garbage. (Chito M. Visarra and Rey Tutas)