COA report: Cebu City trash collectors lacked protective gear, training

MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Audit (COA) found that hundreds of sanitation workers in Cebu City lacked training, as well as adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) required by law.

The COA report released on Monday, October 28, said that responses of garbage collectors employed by the city government, the private hauler, and the 42 barangays, the wearing of PPEs became optional only.

This was contrary to the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, which requires sanitation personnel to don protective gear specifically gloves, masks, and safety boots to curb exposure to potential health hazards.

“The requirement on personal protective equipment as set forth under Section 23 (a), Article 3 of RA No. 9003, was not fully observed by the city, thus potentially compromising the health and safety of the solid waste management personnel,” the audit team said.

The specific findings by the audit team, composed of seven state auditors and three engineers from the Philippine Society of Mechanical Engineers, are as follows:

• Department of Public Services (DPS): A total of 173 personnel who responded said they wore gloves and boots but no masks.
• Private haulers: The 139 contracted workers said they did not use gloves and masks.
• Barangay collectors: Some 48 workers from the 10 villages — Bacayan, Bulacao, Budlaan, Capitol Site, Pung-ol Sibugay, Sambag II, San Nicolas Proper, Santa Cruz, Toong, and Zapatera — said they did not wear protective gear at all.

A total of 239 sanitation workers from 32 other barangays, meanwhile, said they regularly adhered to the required wearing of PPE.

A copy of the 103-page report was sent to Cebu City Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia’s office on September 30.

The Cebu City DPS, in response, said it facilitated the distribution of safety gear and has the documents to prove it, but claimed that most field personnel preferred not to use PPE as it hampered their movements.

The DPS department head, however, committed to ensure that its personnel would observe the proper wearing of PPEs.

Separately, state auditors found that none of the DPS workers and private haulers that responded to their investigation underwent any kind of training relative to garbage collection, even though it is mandated by law.

“The absence of mandated garbage disposal-related trainings and seminars may possibly lead to mishandling and/or mismanagement of the collected wastes due to lack of technical know-how. Eventually, this deficiency may not just compromise the health and safety of the solid waste personnel, but also the health and safety of the public,” COA said. – Rappler.com