City acquires new trucks for garbage collection, rescue, road maintenance

By Gerald O. Enguero
Bicol Mail

The city government here recently acquired at bargain prices five units of trucks for garbage collection, road maintenance, and emergency rescue.

The trucks were delivered by Iriga Joe Motors Corp., the winning bidder, for the total contract price of P5.03M, including cost of fabrication to suit the design requested by the city government.

Of the units, three garbage collection trucks were turned over to the Solid Waste Management Office, one Road Maintenance Truck to the Special Concerns Office, and one unit for emergency rescue to the Public Safety Office. They were formally turned over by City Mayor John Bongat after the blessing rites during the flag raising ceremony at the city hall compound last Monday, June 4.

PSO Executive Director Joselito del Rosario said that his truck is a multi-function vehicle that can be used not only for search and rescue operation, but also during lawful demolition of illegal constructions and seizure of merchandise by illegal ambulant vendors.

“We requested the design of the truck in such a way that all the equipment that we have in our disposal, such as rubber boats and scuba paraphernalia can easily be transported and accommodated during emergency and calamity situations,” del Rosario said.

Engr. Joel Martin of the Solid Waste Management, who also heads the Special Concerns Office said that the Road Maintenance Truck will be used in road repair, repair of the drainage system and other small infra facilities, and the regular cleaning or clearing of city streets.

Martin said a brand new garbage truck in the market now costs P7M, but the city was able to purchase similar vehicles at P1.2M per unit.  He added that the typical Road Maintenance Truck and Emergency Rescue Truck cost at P630,000 each, while the emergency rescue truck was bought at P800,000 per unit.

He added that there are now a total of 13 Garbage Collection Trucks in his office which cover the entire 27 barangays of the city on a daily basis.

“Before these new Garbage Collection Trucks arrived, our data shows that we have 85% collection efficiency rating, which we can raise to 95% with the new trucks by the end of December this year,” Martin said.