Council questions ‘bloated’ garbage disposal budget

Questions arose over the P70 million proposed by Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama for the city’s garbage disposal program.

The city council questioned why the city government has to pay P63 million for tipping fees to a private landfill in Pulog, Consolacion town, once the Inayawan landfill site is closed.

Councilor Nida Cabrera, chairperson of the council’s environment committee, said the P63 million asked for by the Department of Public Services (DPS) as payment is more than double to what the city is obligated to pay for under the contract.

Earlier Councilor Edu Rama Jr., the council’s public services committee chairman, said the tipping fee is computed at P700 per ton of garbage for the first 200 tons.

A discounted rate of P350 per ton is imposed in excess of 200 tons.

Rama said the charge is cheaper compared to the P1,200 per ton tipping fee rate in Manila.

But Councilor Cabrera said the estimates could be lower.

She said if the contract provisions were followed, the city would only be charged P350 per ton if they dispose more than 200 tons of garbage daily.

Based on this estimate, Cabrera said the city need only pay P31 million in tipping fee.

“There is a big difference in the two computations. We better check the contract,” said Councilor Margot Osmeña, the council’s budget committee chairperson.

Councilor Jose Daluz III questioned why the garbage contract was signed by Mayor Rama in the absence of council approval.

The council asked for a copy of the signed contract and minutes of the Solid Waste Management Board meeting where details of the contract were discussed.

The P70 million forms part of the P354.6 million allotted by the mayor’s office for the city’s garbage management and disposal program.

About P1.9 million from the garbage disposal budget item will pay for the lease of a property located near the landfill. The site is intended as a garbage transfer station for southern barangays.

Councilor Rama said the city is leasing the 8,000-sq.-meter property at P20 per sq. meter per day.

The council also questioned the P274 million proposed for motor vehicle purchases next year.

Councilor Alvin Dizon said the proposed appropriation for vehicle purchase, for example, was more than double this year’s appropriation of only P77.2 million.

“I would like to ask for a copy of all vehicle purchases,” said Dizon. The council asked the DPS for a breakdown of equipment costs to determine if there was a need to buy new ones.

DPS chief Dionisio Gualiza said among the vehicles needed were garbage trucks, multicabs and a wrecker truck. About 20 motorcycles with sidecars will be used for their garbage management program, Gualiza said.

But Councilor Osmeña said the DPS budget is confusing because appropriations for vehicle purchase were split into separate accounts.

About P42.1 million was proposed to buy motor vehicles and another P3.5 million sourced from the Local Development Fund account for garbage trucks.

Gualiza said the LDF purchase could be intended for the barangays because he didn’t request for it.