BACOLOD City – In an effort to improve cleanliness around public markets, the Bacolod Environment and Natural Resources Office (BENRO) has removed the garbage bin previously stationed outside the Burgos Public Market.
The large bin served as a dumping site for vendors and nearby households, and was the designated collection point for garbage haulers from IPM-Construction and Development Corp. (IPM-CDC). However, the city government decided to remove it to encourage better waste management practices among vendors.
Mayor Greg Gasataya said the decision to remove the permanently stationed bin was made in coordination with BENRO and the City Administrator’s Office. Instead of leaving garbage all day, vendors are now required to bring out their trash during a designated collection time at 9 a.m.
“BENRO removed the standby garbage bin outside Burgos Market. Instead, we implemented a schedule for when vendors should bring out their garbage for collection,” Mayor Gasataya explained.
He added, “If the bin is there all day, there’s no sense of urgency for the vendors to dispose of their trash promptly.”
The move is part of a broader initiative to maintain market sanitation. Last week, the city conducted flushing operations in the city’s three major public markets—Libertad, Burgos, and Central—after receiving several complaints about cleanliness.
The flushing operation started last Friday at Libertad Market, followed by Burgos on Saturday and Central Market the next day.
“This is part of our ongoing effort to address the clogged drainage problems in our markets,” the mayor said, noting that the vendors also voluntarily helped with the clean-up.
Gasataya said that flushing operations are a short-term, immediate solution that the city can implement without needing additional funding. “It’s doable because there’s no need to wait for a budget,” he said.
For long-term improvements, the mayor said the city is also considering infrastructure upgrades in the public markets, which would take several months to implement and would require funding allocation./PN
