Lapu execs defend Paz on garbage rap

Some barangay captains defended Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza from accusations by a businessman-critic that she failed to resolve the city’s garbage problem.

In a press conference, Maribago barangay captain Joseph Pangatungan said while it was difficult for them to acquire a lot on where they would set up their material recovery facility (MRF), they are still finding ways to dispose of their garbage.

He said they are temporarily building an MRF in a lot that is under litigation. Marigondon barangay captain Lucresia Amores said they’ve also made a composting site to reduce their garbage volume.

Lapu-Lapu City solid waste management consultant Cleofe Solis said 10 of the 19 barangays in the mainland already have their MRFs, while the rest are allocating a budget for it.

She said all barangays are inspected once a week for their compliance to Republic Act 9003 or the Solid Waste Management Law.

“It is very unfair for the barangay officials because they have been doing their part in disposing of their garbage,” Solis said in a press conference at the mayor’s conference room yesterday.

Businessman Efrain Pelaez Jr. earlier accused Radaza’s administration of failing to solve the city’s garbage problems and threatened to sue the mayor and the city’s barangay officials for non-compliance of RA 9003.

In a press statement, Pelaez said Radaza was unable to implement a solid waste management program despite the millions of pesos in the city’s budget at her disposal.

Pelaez, who ran but lost to Radaza in the 2010 elections, said he sent a notice to sue the mayor and barangay captains and gave them a month to resolve the city’s garbage problem.

But Radaza described Pelaez’s accusations as politicking. The mayor said they have been conducting seminars to educate barangays on managing and disposing their solid wastes.

She said the city government partnered with the University of San Jose-Recolletos in creating an eco-tourism police with the city’s youth as its members.