BACOLOD City — A Bacolod city councilor has welcomed the city government’s planned implementation of a “No Segregation, No Collection” policy, describing it as a positive step toward improving waste management despite calls for its earlier adoption.
Councilor Homer Bais, chairperson of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) Committee on Environment and Ecology, said the initiative could help revive proper waste segregation at the household level.
“Segregation is a good initiative. It is better late than never. Although some may say this should have been implemented a long time ago, this is still a good move,” Bais said.
The city government is set to launch the policy on November 6, 2026, with Barangay Handumanan serving as the pilot area.
Mayor Greg Gasataya said the initial implementation would cover six puroks in the barangay to allow officials to assess implementation challenges before considering expansion to other areas.
“Let’s see what would be the challenges in the implementation of the said program. This is a welcome development on the part of the city,” Gasataya said.
Bais expressed hope that the initiative would encourage neighboring barangays to adopt similar measures, creating a “domino effect” that would strengthen waste segregation across the city.
“Once the program succeeds in one area, the neighboring barangays may follow. We need to bring back the practice of segregating waste at source,” he added.
Under the proposed policy, households must separate their garbage into biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste before collection. Unsegregated garbage may not be collected, subject to the city’s guidelines.
Gasataya clarified that regular garbage collection would continue in areas outside the pilot program.
The pilot implementation is expected to help the city assess residents’ compliance, identify operational concerns, and determine adjustments needed to improve waste collection.
The Bacolod Environment and Natural Resources Office (BENRO), in coordination with the city’s garbage hauler, International Solid Waste Integrated Management Specialists Inc. (ISWIMS), will oversee the collection process.
Executive Assistant Mona Jardin, who oversees the city’s environmental concerns and special programs, said a consultation was held on October 27 with people’s organizations in Handumanan to discuss the upcoming campaign.
Participants included purok presidents, representatives from the academe, business owners, pastors, and other residents.
Jardin said the consultation generated encouraging responses, with representatives from the education sector and the wider community expressing support for the initiative.
Barangay Handumanan officials have also expressed their willingness to implement the policy within their jurisdiction.
The city government hopes the pilot program will strengthen public participation in proper waste disposal and encourage residents to take greater responsibility for the garbage they generate.
If successful, the initiative could serve as a model for other barangays as Bacolod seeks to improve waste management and promote more sustainable garbage collection practices, Jardin said./PN
