Trash piles up in Cagayan de Oro, Bacolod amid collection woes

Mounting garbage in parts of Cagayan de Oro City and Bacolod City has raised health and sanitation concerns, with residents complaining of foul odors, flies, and uncollected waste in public areas.

According to a report by JP Soriano on "24 Oras Weekend," piles of trash have accumulated on land and along the water in Sitio Punta, Barangay Macabalan in Cagayan de Oro City, drawing swarms of flies and producing a strong stench.

Barangay officials said the area now serves as the village’s lone garbage pickup point after collection sites were reduced from five to one as part of stricter implementation of waste segregation policies.

According to Barangay Chairman Saniel Raypon, the village has been conducting information drives on proper waste segregation, but some residents continue to ignore the policy.

Raypon said the system initially worked, but the situation worsened when garbage collection across the city encountered problems, prompting more residents to dump their waste at the pickup point.

The barangay has tightened monitoring in the area and warned violators of fines.

In Bacolod City, heaps of garbage were also seen blocking a sidewalk in Barangay Tangub, with residents saying the waste had gone uncollected for weeks.

A resident said the roadside location has become an “open dumpsite,” as passersby continue to throw trash after seeing the pile.

The city council said it would monitor and investigate the garbage problem.

Under Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, dumping or piling garbage in public areas such as roadsides, sidewalks, and canals is prohibited.

Violators may face fines ranging from P300 to P1,000 or be required to perform community service for one to 15 days.—MCG, GMA News