By Princess Haynee B. Pangcatan
MSU Intern
RESIDENTS of Villa Angela, a neighborhood in Barangay Balulang, continue to endure persistent garbage pileups that stretch from morning until night, raising alarm over local waste management practices.
Garbage regularly accumulates in at least two areas in the subdivision, one of which sits just steps from the barangay hall.
Though city garbage trucks typically collect the trash the following day, residents say the prolonged exposure to the stench has become a daily nuisance.
“Kinabukasan naman natatanggal ‘yong basura pero it is still concerning na minsan whole day yong pileup bago makuha ng garbage trucks,” said a concerned local observer.
Cagayan de Oro City Hall’s updated collection schedule from May 2023 assigns Balulang a Monday and Thursday pickup window between 6 am and 8 am.
But residents say the current setup falls short.
“Duwa a trak so di magcollect ng basura,” said senior citizen Hairiah Caris, noting that two trucks are not enough for the area’s needs.
“Pkasalak, igira kapipita ago gagawii (Sometimes, they arrive in the morning and in the evening),” she added, saying trucks often return later in the day to finish the job.
Although no health issues have been officially reported, residents are uneasy.
Caris said the amount of trash often exceeds the capacity of a single trip, forcing trucks to make return visits.
Haniya Rataban, 50, who owns a store near one of the dump points along the road to the Balulang-Tibasak Bridge, shared similar frustrations.
“Plbad kami dn igira myaylay ami a mapupuno sa basura. Saya na apya da mawma so schedule na plbad siran dn, apya tonaa gawi (We throw our garbage when we see it is full of garbage already. Here, even if it’s not the schedule yet, they’ll throw their waste any day.),” she said, explaining that people tend to throw their garbage when they see it’s already full.
Despite no reported illnesses, Rataban said the constant odor disrupts daily life.
“Yong amoy ng basura maamoy talaga hanggang dito,” she said.
The situation underscores persistent challenges in local waste disposal habits.
While city sanitation crews continue their efforts, irregular dumping and overwhelming trash volumes remain major obstacles.
As of this posting, barangay authorities have not issued any official response or taken action. Attempts to contact the City Local Environment and Natural Resources Office were unsuccessful.
