LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – The local government will install closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras in strategic areas within garbage collection points in the town’s 16 barangays to monitor the compliance of residents to the prevailing solid waste management policy.
Mayor Romeo K. Salda said the local government intends to purchase a sufficient number of CCTV cameras to be installed in the different established garbage collection points in the 16 barangays to help Bantay Basura patrollers monitor erring residents who unscrupulously dispose their garbage.
“The assignment of Bantay Basura patrollers in our established garbage collection points in the town’s sixteen barangays greatly contributed in ensuring the compliance of our residents to the prevailing solid waste management policy of segregation of waste at source, however, there are still erring residents who unscrupulously dump their garbage anywhere that is why we want to make sure that such illegally activities are prevented,” Mayor Salda stressed.
The Bantay Basura Patrollers is a brainchild of Mayor Salda to reduce the volume of garbage being temporarily hauled out of the municipality by the municipal government with the use of its existing garbage trucks while awaiting the completion of the ongoing works in Cell No. 3 of its Alno controlled dump facility that was established for the purpose.
The local chief executive admitted there are certain delays in the completion of the works in the Alno dumpsite and he expressed optimism the remaining P5 million worth of works will be completed the soonest so that the local government will stop the temporary hauling of waste outside the municipality which is quite expensive.
According to him, the local government will bid out the purchase of the CCTV cameras.
Based on data obtained from the local government, some 30 to 50 tons of garbage is being hauled out of the municipality that help reduce the volume of waste being dumped in its controlled facility.
Mayor Salda recognized the significant contributions of the members of the Bantay Basura patrollers in the local government’s overall objective of ensuring the compliance of residents in the proper segregation of waste at source as garbage disposal is not only the obligation of government but also the duty of individuals as enshrined under the pertinent provisions of Republic Act (RA) 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.
He urged residents to strictly comply with the prescribed schedule of bringing out their segregated garbage to help lessen the burden of Bantay Basura patrollers and ensure the sustained effort to maintain cleanliness in the whole municipality as what is important is the cooperation of people so that the volume of waste being hauled out of the municipality will be significantly reduced and lessen the expenditure of municipal funds for the said purpose.
By HENT
