The Bacolod Environment and Natural Resources Office (BENRO) is warning residents to be vigilant against individuals and groups posing as garbage collectors to solicit cash donations.
The city government, working with its new private garbage contractor, has not authorized any person or organization to seek donations or cash contributions, BENRO Officer-in-Charge Allyn Luv Dignadice said on Wednesday, Jan. 21.
The warning follows a complaint submitted to BENRO about a group calling itself the Garbage Collector Association Bacolod City, which allegedly sought donations to help a hospitalized member, she said.
“We highly discourage the giving of cash donations to individuals claiming to be garbage collectors. A lot can happen, and there are scammers the public must be wary of,” Dignadice said.
She also acknowledged that complaints about uncollected garbage persist, even as collection schedules have been normalized citywide.
Dignadice urged public cooperation, especially from barangay officials, to combat illegal dumping, which compounds the city’s waste management challenges.
The International Solid Waste Integrated Management Specialist (ISWIMS) has started operations to clear waste backlogs and address issues left by the previous contractor.
Daily waste collection now ranges from 1,700 to 2,500 cubic meters, with all waste disposed of at the sanitary landfill in Barangay Felisa, Dignadice said.*