By Gonzalo T. Duque 

 

THE ever-nagging problem of garbage collection in the city of Dagupan remains unresolved.

Mayor Belen Fernandez submitted lot of proposals for the collection of our garbage during her previous administration and now during her current term after the failed 15 million dollar Waste-to-Energy project by the American company Sure Global backed out because the administration of former mayor Brian Lim rejected it.

One proposal is a partnership with Holcim Philippines for the delivery of plastic and other materials to its plant in Norzagaray, Bulacan to be converted into cement. Under the exploratory agreement, Dagupan will get some of the finished product (cement) to be used as construction material for various infrastructure projects.

But for this worthwhile project, Belen needs additional dump trucks to deliver the plastic wastes to the Holcim Plant.

Another offer is from Unilever Philippines, that will take Dagupan’s plastic wastes for conversion into plywood, which would also be funneled to the city after processing.

But these two noble projects are being railroaded by the majority councilors, the 7 epaLifes in the Sangguniang Panlungsod, by refusing to approve a supplemental budget for the purchase of four dump trucks, a backhoe, a pay loader and a number of garongs  attached to motorcycles.

I think with the present makeup of the Sangguniang Panlungsod where the majority opposes any of Belen’s good programs and projects, she will not get any result.

My unsolicited advice to Mayor Belen: Be more creative by marshaling your resources for the acquisition of the needed assets in managing the city’s garbage.

Why not ask some big business establishments operating in the city to donate a garbage truck each as their shared burden in making Dagupan cleaner. There’s Pamana, or FilInvest and SM.

If Celia Lim and her fellow opposition councilors still believe in their slogan: “Our City, Our Shared Responsibility”, Magic can also donate a garbage truck.
I enjoin Belen to follow the example set by my Barangay Captain Sidney Lomboy of Tapuac, who solved the garbage problem in his community by using his own truck to haul the foul-smelling garbage on a street behind Lyceum Northwestern University.

What I am saying is, it takes a creative mind to accomplish many things!

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The order of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to abolish all POGOs in the Philippines by December was taken with glee by almost everyone.

 Teka muna! Before abolishing the POGOs, a law must be passed revoking the law that in the first place created these. With the local elections now fast approaching, expect more road blocks ahead.

I compare this to the jueteng issue where our government introduced a lot of counter-measures to oppose the proliferation of this illegal numbers game. Recall that the Small Town Lottery was introduced by PCSO, calling it experimental but it continues to flourish under such name and arrangement.

With the POGOs, they may likely introduce another name but with similar mechanics and the same people operating it, of course, with the protection of our lawmakers, LGUs and police forces.

Let’s wait and see whether it is for real or just “sounds and fury signifying nothing.”

 Again, let me be clear about my stand: POGOs should go and never again should we pass any legislation adopting the same under any guise whatsoever.

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I wrote here earlier about the exposé’of Sagip Partylist Rep. Rodante Marcoleta, about several dollar checks deposited in offshore bank accounts of a certain Comelec official, whom he later revealed as the accounts of Comelec Chairman George Garcia.

These checks were deposited in one of the banks in the Cayman Islands under very suspicious circumstances because Comelec then was considering whether to adopt the proposal of Miru Corporation from South Korea, as technology provider for the 2025 mid-term election.

With that revelation, I believe that an investigation is in order so that the air will be cleared and the truth will come out.

Otherwise, the integrity and fairness of the 2025 elections will be put to doubt.

Cong. Marcoleta further said he was surprised why Miru was awarded the contract because it has not shown any track record as a technology provider in any election anywhere in the world.

Meantime, Chairman Garcia dismissed Marcoleta’s story, saying these were fake foreign accounts that maliciously used his name and dared the congressman to bring the case in a proper forum.

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