LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Republic of the Philippines
Province of Negros Occidental
City of San Carlos

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT OFFICE

September 28, 2012

MS. GEORGENE P. QUILATON
Managing Editor
News Record
San Carlos City 

Dear Ms. Quilaton:

This is relative to the previous News Record issue dated September 16-22, 2012 regarding the condition of the city's garbage trucks. 

Over the years, the city's generated garbage has increased significantly, from 15 tonnes per day in 2007 to 17 tonnes per day in 2012. In 2011, San Carlos City produced 6,205 tonnes of solid waste equivalent to 16,000 cu. m. per year, which is enough to fill two (2) football fields to the height of an average person. And this volume would be significantly increasing in the next succeeding years.

In order to address the garbage problem, the city has created various programs relative to solid waste. The city has established the first Sanitary Landfill in the region and the first to technically close the old dumpsite, conducted Information, Education and Communications Campaign for waste segregation since 2002, dispatching street sweepers to strategic areas every day, and setting up an effective waste collection scheme. 

Relative to the issue, the City Government of San Carlos is trying its best to improve the efficiency of our garbage collection. Although the undersigned has made mention about the government's procurement process due to the following factors: Agency Rules and Regulations, Inter-Bureaucratic Transactions, Limited Suppliers, etc., the City's Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) has been consistently assisting our office in finding it's best and appropriate means in purchasing the needed spare parts of the breakdown garbage trucks. 

To date, four (4) garbage trucks are now functioning and one additionally will be operational by next week while one unit compactor that had undergone major repair is hopefully to be available soon. 

The daily waste collection schedule (except for 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month) is from 5:30 AM to 1:30PM on the first shift and from 2:30PM to 10:30PM on the next shift. There are seven (7) collection routes within the city proper with only one (1) truck assigned per route and a Multicab for special collection which [caters] the hospitals, slaughterhouse, etc., while the collection for upland and coastal (Brgys. Ermita and San Juan) barangays are set via scheduling. 

For your information.

Thank you


Truly yours, 


ORIGINAL SGD. ENGR. ARTHUR A. BATOMALAQUE
Environmental Management Specialist II


Noted:


ORIGINAL SGD. ENGR. LORETO C. SANCHEZ
Head/ Spvg. Env. Mgm't. Specialist 

Date Received: October 2, 2012