Death of garbage collector, fainting of job order workers ticks off JVR

TALISAY City Mayor Johnny delos Reyes was displeased over reports of the death of a garbage collector and the fainting of two job order employees last Thursday.

The mayor corrected reports that garbage collector Agripino Oyua died while waiting to collect his salary at Talisay City Hall.

He said Oyua’s wife told him that Oyua had dinner with them hours before he died. De los Reyes said he visited the Oyua family.

“He did not starve because he already ate his dinner before he went to claim his salary at City Hall,” de los Reyes said.

After getting his salary, Oyua rode a passenger multicab headed to the market.

Oyua’s wife said while her husband waited for the garbage truck to arrive, his co-workers noticed that he was already trembling before he lost consciousness.

His colleagues immediately brought him to Talisay City district hospital but he was declared dead on arrival by the doctors.

De los Reyes said he told the family to give Oyua’s punch card to anyone of them who wished to replace him as garbage collector.

The mayor said Oyua’s wife told him that she didn’t know if her husband had an existing medical condition.

He said the family believed that he died of a heart attack.

De los Reyes said he assured the family that the city will pay the burial expenses.

The mayor signed a contract with St. Francis Funeral Homes last month to cover the burial costs of the city’s indigent residents.

The mayor also voiced displeasure over reports that two job order workers fainted during the release of salaries last Thursday.

De los Reyes said he warned employees and department heads that he will relieve them if they don’t perform well. Correspondent Christine Emily L. Pantaleon