Mandaue City Mayor Thadeo Jovito “Jonkie” Ouano has appealed to residents to work together in keeping the city clean and to refrain from improper waste disposal.
Ouano made the call after a man was caught illegally dumping garbage into a river near the A. Soriano Barangay Centro Bridge on Monday, June 8, 2026.
The mayor said the city government had already summoned the man involved in the incident.
During the meeting, Ouano said authorities learned that the individual was a laborer working for a vendor at the Mandaue City Public Market and had allegedly been instructed to dispose of the trash.
He said the man was penalized for the violation and was also called in by the Mandaue City Environment and Natural Resources Office (MCENRO).
“Gipabayad nato og P5,000 nga fine and nibayad gyud sila,” Ouano said.
Following the incident, the mayor reiterated his appeal to residents to be responsible in maintaining cleanliness and order in the city.
“Ako gyud ning gibalik-balik permi sa atong mga kaigsuonan sa City of Mandaue, mamalihug lang ko, muhangyo ko ninyo tagsa-tagsa nga magtinabangay tang tanan,” he said.
Ouano said the city government cannot achieve its cleanliness goals alone, stressing that public cooperation is essential.
“Di gyud namo kaya nga kami lang,” he said.
He added that while residents want a clean city, this will not be possible without discipline and shared responsibility.
“Ganahan ta malimpyo atong syudad pero kung di ta magtinabangay dili nato badlungon atong mga silingan, atong mga anak, nga naa man tay saktong basurahan nga adto lang ilabay, kita ra sad ang ma affected,” Ouano said.
“Ari ra ba dayon ta kusog mureklamo sa social media,” he added.
The mayor said the issue extends beyond garbage disposal and also includes vandalism and traffic violations, which he attributed to lack of discipline.
He said existing rules are meant to maintain order in the city.
“Gihimo man ning mga balaora for a reason, para naa tay order diri sa atong syudad,” Ouano said.
“Kay again dili gyud namo kaya tanan,” he added.
Ouano encouraged residents to report violations, noting that concerns can be submitted through the Mandaue Public Affairs social media page.
“Mao lang na, ato ning ganahan nga tabang sa tanan, to all of us to be involved because this is our city,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mandaue Command Center head Arnold Malig-on said the incident was captured by CCTV at around 6 p.m. on June 8.
At least three sacks of garbage were reportedly dumped into the waterway.
The incident was immediately reported to MCENRO.
Malig-on said investigation later showed the individual was acting on instructions from vendors at the public market.
He added that the man reportedly has a mental disability but is often asked to run errands, including disposing of garbage.
The Command Center head said the incident underscores the importance of continuous monitoring through the city’s surveillance system, which also covers non-traffic violations.
Photo courtesy of Jonkie Ouano / Facebook
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