Injured scavenger to get new job

AN easier job awaits the scavenger who nearly lost his right forearm while trying to clean a biodegradable garbage shredder at the Inayawan landfill last week.

Joselito Nuñez will be reassigned in the receiving area of the landfill where recycled products from segregated garbage wind up in, landfill head Randy Navarro said.

“Since he still can’t move that well, we’ll assign him an easier job,” Navarro said,

Nuñez is confined at the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC).

The 36-year-old Nuñez was cleaning the machine when his right forearm was pulled in by the machine’s conveyor and crushed under one of the metal cylinders.

He also sustained lacerations on his injured legs while he tried to extricate himself from the machine that was reportedly turned off.

Nuñez underwent an operation where the bones of his right forearm were replaced with metal.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama paid P19,000 for the operation reportedly out of his own pocket.

Nuñez’s medical bills were paid under the City’s Hospitalization Assistance and Medicines Program (Champ).

Navarro, who visited Nuñez yesterday, said the scavenger is eager to return to work.

“We’ll wait for the doctor’s advice. We assured him that he will still have a job at the landfill,” Navarro said.

City councilors gave cash to Nuñez’s family with Councilor Nida Cabrera donating a sack of rice and other dry goods.

Nunez, who has four children, is the breadwinner of the family.

He is part of the 81 scavengers at the Inayawan landfill who man the Material Recovery Facilirt(MRF) at P250 a day each.

Navarro said the city government will buy protective gears for the scavengers like hard hats.

Navarro said they resumed operations following an inspection of the shredders two and a half days after the accident.