Owners of business establishments in the city should go beyond just providing trash bins in front of their shops. They should also take charge of really maintaining these garbage cans and their surrounding areas.
Mayor Benjamin Magalong said businessmen should realize it is their responsibility to manage their trash containers and see to it they are properly maintained at all times, especially at the central business district where people mill around.
The mayor is set to meet owners of all food establishments located at Session Road, Harrison Road, and Mabini St. especially those who do take-outs to remind them of their responsibilities when it comes to helping the city government manage trash that emanate from their establishments.
This was at the instance of Public Order and Safety Division (POSD) Head Daryll Longid whose enforcers at times end up cleaning up garbage strewn around these bins.
“Our personnel end up picking up after them. Their convenient alibi is that they do not control people’s discipline or the lack thereof,” Longid lamented.
“Establishments couldn’t be bothered cleaning up strewn trash even if it’s in front of their stores because they will claim the pile of scattered trash are not usually theirs, hence the belief that they are not obliged to do anything about them. Unfortunately, this is the kind of mentality a lot of establishments have. Mangilan-ngilan lang po ‘yung establishments na may kusang maglinis kung may naikalat sa tapat nila.”
City Health Services Office Sanitation Division Head, Engr. Charles Bryan Carame, said the requirement for business establishments to maintain trash bins for their customers is provided in Ordinance 54-1988 as amended by Ordinance 59-2020 or the city’s Anti-Littering Ordinance.
He said their office has been conducting information drives on this rule in their regular rounds in bus terminals and food establishments.
The POSD recently posted photos of strewn trash around a garbage bag tied on a pole in front of a fast food establishment along Session Road, noting that most of the refuse were milk tea and ice cream cups carrying labels of other stores.
“Just the same, these should have been cleaned by the fast food as mandated by the law or if not, as part of their basic corporate social responsibility,” the mayor said. – Aileen P. Refuerzo
