Tanjay City environment officer-designate Ronald Bermudez accused a city councilor-radio commentator of political expediency for blowing-up last month's Iloilo trip of barangay captains and department heads, and accusing the present administration of wasting taxpayers' money. Bermudez was referring to a series of broadcast commentaries by the city councilor-radio commentator whom he did not name, aired over a local religious radio station.

He was apparently alluding to Councilor Erkki Lozarita who scored on air, the educational tour of the 61 department heads and barangay representatives to observe the successful solid waste management program of Brgy. Sta. Filomena in Iloilo City.

From Iloilo City, the visiting officials proceeded to Boracay for a strategic planning workshop and drafting of the annual procurement plan.

"The trip was meaningful and fruitful," Bermudez told a media briefing in Brgy. San Miguel, Tanjay City during the weekend.

He said that, contrary to Lozarita's allegation, the money spent for the whole trip was only P300,000 not P3 million.

The money came from the budget for Lakbay Aral of each department and for environment of the 24 barangay representatives most of whom were barangay captains, he added.

Bermudez said that barangay officials are the frontliners in the implementation of a solid waste management program and therefore, the trip was necessary for them to observe and study how Sta. Filomena operated its waste segregation scheme and its Model Material Recovery Facility.

He said waste management must begin at the barangay level.

Bermudez described the commentator's broadcast allegations a "last hurrah" because he is on his last term as a Tanjay councilor and it was "politically-tainted" because he has joined the group of Vice Mayor Lawrence Teves.

Teves' party broke away from the administration party of Mayor Baltazar Salma to challenge the mayoralty post of Salma's son, Neil, under the opposition ticket in the 2007 elections.

Teves has the support of Gov. George Arnaiz and Rep. Emilio Macias II (2nd District) while Neil Salma has the official support of 20 of the 24 barangay captains of the city. *RG

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