CAGAYAN de Oro Vice Mayor Jocelyn Rodriguez on May 23 urged the City Local Environment and Natural Resources Office (Clenro) and Tencil management to collect garbage, segregated or not, as uncollected waste continues to pile up across the city.

Rodriguez questioned Tencil’s performance during a committee hearing, asking operations manager Jermie Danuco to explain what happened during the company’s contract period, which has now been extended by another three months.

She also raised concerns about the 10 trucks Danuco described as “reserved,” noting that the 45 trucks currently in operation are failing to clean the city.

"Dam-ok naman gani ang basura sa dakbayan, how could that be?" Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez said she has personally studied the city’s garbage issues and blamed Tencil for not fulfilling its responsibilities.

‘DO YOUR JOB.’ Cagayan de Oro City Vice Mayor Jocelyn Rodriguez on May 23 directed Clenro and contractor Tencil to collect all garbage — segregated or not — as uncollected waste continues to pile up across the city. Residents have raised concerns over worsening sanitation. Photo by Shiela Mae Butlig

Engineer Armin Cuenca, head of Clenro, said full implementation of solid waste segregation will begin on June 1. He said that of the city’s 80 barangays, only 60 have complied with segregation rules. Larger barangays — including Kauswagan, Carmen, and Puerto — have yet to fully implement the policy.

Rodriguez responded by saying perfect segregation is unrealistic, even within a year, and pressed Cuenca for alternative solutions beyond segregation.

“Hakuton gyud nila (Tencil) ang basura sa dakbayan, hakuton. That is our aim. Minus sa segregation, wala ta. Poor implementation, and that is a challenge to your office,” Rodriguez told Cuenca.

Rodriguez, visibly frustrated, emphasized that garbage must be collected, regardless of whether it is properly segregated.

Meanwhile, Councilor Imee Rose Moreno, who attended the hearing via Zoom, said she remains disheartened over the issue.

“We are utilizing our resources bisan naka kontrata ta sa Tencil,” Moreno said.

Cuenca, when asked about his assessment of Tencil’s performance, said the contractor had met expectations except for last week.

“They collected more than what is contracted,” Cuenca said.

Danuco said Tencil is currently collecting 287 tons of garbage daily.