City girds to retain reg'l Clean and Green title
City Mayor Jerry Treñas is hoping that the city will retain the Clean and Green regional championship title for this year's Gawad Pangulo sa Kapaligiran. He said preparations are being made by City Budget Officer Ninda Atinado for the city to get the same award from its tough competitor, Bacolod City.
Treñas is asking the Ilonggos to help maintain cleanliness as the regional search nears. The regional evaluation is slated on November 26, 2007.
The areas which are to be rated by the regional evaluating team are the public plazas, the different city public markets and public schools, the Calajunan dumpsite, slaughterhouse and the city's seedling nursery. The evaluation will be done through ocular inspections, spot interviews and review of pertinent documents.
The criteria for judging includes the absence of eyesores; well-maintained green areas; odor-free and thoroughly clean public markets and food terminals; presence of waste water treatment system and waste segregation station for slaughterhouse and implementation of waste segregation at source.
The other criteria for the clean and green award are well-maintained public toilets; efficient and effective garbage collection system and support systems provided by the city government on programs and projects on cleanliness, greening, solid waste management, health and sanitation program and the other related efforts.
Presently, it has been observed that the Mandurriao plaza is dirty and full of clutter as it being occupied by stall owners selling used clothing or "ukay-ukay", toys and other stuff. There are also food stalls and different rides as the district will celebrate its district fiesta on November 26, 2007.
Earlier, the Association of Barangay Captains in Mandurriao already agreed with Fr. Esperidion Celis, parist priest of Espousal of Our Lady Parish (Mandurriao) not to allow "ukay-ukay" vendors and food stalls that sell liquors. However, at present, there are a number of "ukay-ukay" stalls and food stalls selling liquors that occupies portion of the plaza.
Meanwhile, Treñas said something has to be done in order to educate the people on waste segregation. The city government has already sponsored 21 seminars to barangay leaders in the city's waste segregation program which include the installation of Material Recovery Facility (MRF) in every barangay.
The city's only slaughterhouse is dilapidated and unhygienic to see. The workers have to contend on the present state of the slaughterhouse as they have yet to move to the class "AA" abattoir in Barangay Tacas, Jaro which is still undergoing construction.