By Cong B. Corrales
Editor-in-Chief
and Sheila Mae Butlig
Correspondent
UNCOLLECTED garbage piling up in streets and coastal areas has drawn increasing complaints from residents of Cagayan de Oro City, as collection delays persist in various barangays.
Photos and videos of mounting trash — particularly along the coastal road in Lapasan and other busy districts — have gone viral on social media, prompting concerns over public health, sanitation, and the city’s image.
Residents say garbage has been left unattended for several days, with foul odors and scattered waste attracting pests and disrupting communities.
“For too long, we’ve tolerated uncollected garbage rotting on sidewalks, blocked and overflowing sewage systems, and growing threats to peace and order in our own neighborhoods. These aren’t new problems, and yet they remain unresolved,” Khizia Steffan Madrona wrote in a public Facebook post.
Madrona is the conservation education and development manager, as well as the marketing and board relations officer, at the Philippine Eagle Foundation.
“Every time we step outside and see trash piled up or smell the stench of clogged canals, we’re reminded of the basic services that are failing us. We hear promises during campaigns, we see plans on paper — but what we need are results. Not later. Now,” Madrona added.
The city’s contracted waste collector, Tencil Construction and Development Corporation, has yet to issue an official statement regarding the reported delays. Repeated attempts by media to contact the company have gone unanswered.
The City Local Environment and Natural Resources Office (CLENRO) expects its contracted garbage hauler, Tencil Construction and Development Corporation, to finish clearing uncollected waste within the week.
In an interview with Brigada News FM on Friday, May 16, CLENRO chief Engr. Armen Cuenca said the city anticipates that Tencil will complete the garbage collection backlog soon.
“In fact, the City Engineering Office and the City General Services Office have already assisted in collecting uncollected garbage over the past few days,” Cuenca said.
Several posts on social media have shown piles of garbage in areas such as Cogon, Macasandig, and Lapasan.
One concerned resident, Joy Labuanan, who visited Cogon Market, said the uncollected trash has caused a foul odor and is an unpleasant sight.
“Lain sya tan-awon, unta makuha na naa,” Labuanan said.
Shortly after IFM CDO posted photos of the garbage in Cogon on Thursday morning, Tencil responded and collected the trash within an hour.
“Hapit na ma-normalize (garbage collection),” Cuenca assured the public.
He also advised residents to segregate waste properly and refrain from dumping trash in public areas.
Resident Titus Velez questioned why Clenro is always the first to speak out whenever issues arise with the city’s garbage collection, expressing confusion over the continued silence from Tencil, the contracted hauler.
“I wonder why it’s always Clenro commenting while Tencil is always silent. Kinsa si Tencil or who is behind Tencil? Kinsa’y officer or CEO or even spokesperson (nila),” Velez asked.
As the city grapples with rapid urban growth, residents and advocates say efficient garbage collection is no longer just a service — it’s a necessity.
