By Mae Singuay

The Bacolod City government saved around P4 million per month by using a digital weighbridge as a basis for payment to a private contractor for waste collection.

The city has contracted IPM Construction and Development Corporation for sanitary service in the amount of P156,399,150 from May 1 to December 31 of this year, based on the approved budget contract of P184 million.

“Naka-save kita sa bidding sang P27 million subong. Monthly, naka-save pa gid kami P4 million,” Department of Public Services officer-in-charge Ma. Fe Tresfuentes said.

Tresfuentes added that the savings started during the implementation of the weighbridge in May.

“We are happy, but the contractor was sad,” she said.

She also considered the contractor’s increasing overhead expenses.

“Ang average trips nagasaka, wala naganubo. Nakit-an namon in terms sang expenses, dako na expense ni contractor sang nasukot sa siyudad,” Tresfuentes said.

Previously, the city government was paying more because there was no accurate way of paying the garbage contractor.

“Before we implement the weighbridge, the system of paying them is through measurement by length. But now, by volume, by determining the weight,” Tresfuentes said.

The average volume of garbage collected in the city per day is 370 tons.

The city government is paying P1,275 per ton./MS, WDJ