Manila taps new garbage hauler but ‘transition’ stinks

MANILA, Philippines – The “transition” to a new contractor caused recent delays in the daily collection of garbage in the city of Manila, local officials said Friday in response to mounting complaints from residents.

Mayor Joseph Estrada said the city tapped a new contractor after the yearly contract with longtime trash hauler, Leonel Waste Management, expired and the company did not participate in the bidding for the new contract.

On Jan. 21, the council adopted the new contract with IPM Construction and Development Corp. owned by Isabelita Mercado, which would get a monthly payment from City Hall to the tune of P42.708 million, almost the same amount set in the old deal with Leonel.

“There was a slight problem in transition in the first few days but everything’s OK now,” Estrada told the Inquirer Friday.

A “time and motion study” will be conducted by the city’s Department of Public Services (DPS) next week to fine-tune the collection schedule in the barangays and address the residents’ complaints.

DPS chief Lilybelle Borromeo said her staff members would go around with the garbage trucks to determine how long it would take them to service each barangay in their respective areas.

“Some people complain that their wastes are not being collected regularly,” Borromeo said. “We will conduct (a study) so we could determine the latest time for collection considering the route and traffic.”

A resident of San Andres Bukid, for example, said garbage in the area used to be collected every day before 9 a.m., but lately the dump trucks had not been coming regularly, causing trash bags to pile up on the streets.

Borromeo said residents with similar complaints should inform their barangay officials who in turn could alert the DPS to their situation.