The Bacolod Environment and Natural Resources Office (BENRO) is warning residents to be vigilant against individuals and groups posing as garbage collectors to solicit cash donations.
The city government, working with its new private garbage contractor, has not authorized any person or organization to seek donations or cash contributions, BENRO officer-in-charge, Atty. Allyn Luv Dignadice, said in a statement Jan. 21.
The warning follows a complaint submitted to BENRO about a group calling itself the Garbage Collector Association Bacolod City, which allegedly sought donations to help a hospitalized member.
“We highly discourage the giving of cash donations to individuals claiming to be garbage collectors. A lot can happen, and there are scammers the public must be wary of,” Dignadice stressed.
She also acknowledged that complaints about uncollected garbage persist, even as collection schedules have been normalized citywide.
Dignadice urged the public’s cooperation, especially barangay officials, in putting a stop to illegal dumping, which compounds the city’s waste management challenges.
The International Solid Waste Integrated Management Specialist (ISWIMS) has started operations to clear waste backlogs and address issues left by the previous contractor.
Daily waste collection now ranges from 1,700 to 2,500 cubic meters, all disposed of at the sanitary landfill in Barangay Felisa, the city said. ||
