Garbage Contracts

By Virginia Jasmin Pasalo

 

EVERY Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, the garbage truck passes by at odd hours of the day. There is no schedule that one can work with so that you can do other things. You cannot bring garbage out into the street because the stray dogs will scatter the contents of the bags, and if and when the garbage truck decides not to pass by, you end up cleaning up what the dogs have left behind.

So I keep the garbage bags inside the house and wait for the garbage truck. It should be easier now that there is still a lockdown because most days the meetings are on Zoom and you could wait for the garbage truck while giving your opinion during these meetings. In most cases however, the meetings are over and there is no garbage truck.

When they do arrive, they drive through as quick as a flash, and you end up running after them.

“Bakit naman ang bilis-bilis  ninyo?” (Why do you drive so fast?)

“Meron po ba kayong bente pesos? Pambili lang ng softdrinks” (Do you have twenty pesos? We are going to buy softdrinks.)

“Sa susunod na lang, wala akong barya. Masama po ang softdrinks sa katawan. Pwede ko kayong bigyan ng tubig?” (I can give it next time you come, I don’t have loose change. Softdrinks is bad for your health. May I give you water?)

Without acknowledging my response, he speeds off. This conversation is repeated among my neighbors, the garbage boys demand cash for every household they collect garbage from. They do not often get the exact amount they ask, but most often, they get it after a veiled threat of not collecting your garbage. I gave them what they wanted, but wondered whether this was the right thing to do. From what I know, the company to whom garbage collection has been awarded won a very hefty contract, so why are the collectors asking money from the households?

In the arrangement with the previous operators, the practice of asking for money was effectively halted and the schedule for collection has become more or less predictable. When the new administration at City Hall took over, the contract was given to another company with bigger and newer trucks. The residents expected that with the change, garbage collection would be better. There were glitches from the beginning. The established routes were missed. While the collection became more regular over time, the time of arrival for the collection became unpredictable. The conversations shifted from begging to petty extortion.

“Hindi kayo nagbigay nung huli. Pera ang kailangan para mabuhay.” (You did not give us money last time. We need money to survive.)

“May konting bigas ako, pwede na ba yun?” (I have some rice, will this suffice?)

“Sa susunod, pera na lang.” (Next time, give us money.)

Not a word of gratitude. I perfectly understand where he is coming from. Life is hard, then and now. But we can only give occasionally because we also have commitments to help others as well. It is incumbent upon the employers to give a fair wage for these workers to live a decent life so that they will not resort to asking residents for additional money in order to live. There is a lot of profit accruing from the contract, enough to sustain some decency and integrity in its workforce. The company has the duty to look after the welfare of its workers, deliver efficient services and be accountable for its operations.

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