Some evacuation centers in Marikina are having problems with how to dispose of garbage even as large parts of the city hard hit by floods still don’t have electricity, government authorities said on Friday.

Marikina Mayor Marides C. Fernando said the number of evacuees has reduced in many public schools used as evacuation centers but many are still refusing to go back to their homes in flood-hit and still muddy communities.

At H. Bautista Elementary School, some evacuees are complaining of the mounting garbage and unsanitary conditions brought about indiscriminate throwing of waste and plastic.

One of the evacuees, Aling Tesa, said, “Kung sa bahay nila malinis sila dapat dito rin kasi ito ang pansamantalang bahay naming kaya dami nagkakasakit mga salaula yung iba.”

Tesa noted that many evacuees are suffering from colds, coughs and diarrhea.

“Dapat naman sa panahong ganito di lahat inaasa sa gobyerno. Dapat yung mga apekto ay tumulong din. Ako nga wala nang bahay sa Tumana, kaya dito muna ako sa eskuwelahan. Kaya lang hindi ko naman kaya linisisin kung yung iba nagkakalat,” said 76-year-old Mang Peping said.

The already week-long cleanup drive being conducted by the Marikina authorities with the help of the Philippine National Police and volunteer groups like members of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines has still not impacted on many areas in the city.