Uncollected post-holiday trash causes a stink in Manila

MANILA — Residents in several barangays in Manila are calling for urgent cleanup as piles of uncollected garbage pose potential health hazards to their communities. On Sagrada Familia Street in Barangay 767, piles of post-holiday trash have become a breeding ground for pests, causing problems for business owners like Lourdes Viñas, 50, who runs a small eatery in the area. “Ilang taon na ako nagtitinda dito pero ngayon lang naman nangyari ‘yan. Kaya lang dumadami nang dumadami kasi yung mga basura sa bahay-bahay nilalagay dyan. Ayun nababawasan (ang customers) dahil naaamoy nila,” said Viñas. (I’ve been selling here for years, but this is the first time this has happened. The garbage keeps piling up because people from nearby houses throw their trash here. Customers avoid eating here because of the smell.) Gloria Tom, 69, finds the smell outside the eatery unbearable and is worried about its potential harm to her grandchildren’s health. “Bago magbagong taon, may mga basura na diyan… kumakain ako diyan tapos makikita mo tambak na basura… di ba nakakawalang gana?” Tom said. (Before the New Year, the garbage was already there. You sit down to eat, and you see mountains of trash. You'll lose your appetite.) Mountains of trash have also piled up on Onyx Street in Barangay 787, but Danny Rosales, councilor of Barangay 787, said he has spotted a garbage truck collecting waste around midnight. “Nag-away-away na nga kami dito kaninang umaga. Tinatambak na dito sa amin ito punong-puno ito. Buti may dumating ‘yon… sakit ang aabutin mo diyan kung hindi makuha agad,” said Rosales. (We actually had a heated argument here earlier this morning. The place was getting piled up with trash. Thankfully, a truck came... it would have been a real problem if it hadn’t been picked up immediately.) 'FORMER CONTRACTOR DIDN'T COLLECT TRASH' Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna attributed the issue to the failure of the city's former garbage contractor to collect trash on its last scheduled day. “Yun pong huli dapat na araw na pagkokolekta ng dating service provider ay hindi po ginawa kung kaya’t yung mga basura po ng December 31 magpahanggang January 1 ay nagkatambak-tambak na,” said Lacuna. (The last scheduled day of collection by the former service provider was not carried out, which is why the trash from December 31 to January 1 piled up.) ABS-CBN News is seeking a statement from Manila's former garbage contractor. She added that due to the city's dense population, the volume of garbage accumulated was four times more than the usual daily collection. Lacuna assured Manila residents that the new contractors, MetroWaste Solid Management Corp. and Phil. Ecology Systems Corp., together with other city departments, are working 24/7 to resolve the city's waste management backlog. “Nagbigay po ako ng timeline sa kanila na hanggang ngayong araw po, matatapos ang lahat para bukas po, Lunes, ay nasa regular collection na tayo,” the Manila mayor said. (I provided them with a timeline, and by today, everything should be completed so that starting tomorrow, Monday, we will return to regular collection.) The mayor also apologized to residents whose daily lives have been disrupted by the public health concerns caused by the uncollected trash.