No permanent waste solution five months after tragedy
Cebu City still lacks a permanent waste disposal system five months after a garbage-slide at the Binaliw landfill killed 36 people on January 8, 2026. City Councilor Joel Garganera, chair of the environment committee, criticized the city's shifting waste policies during SunStar's Beyond the Headline interview on June 22, 2026.
Garganera said the city has been “running in circles” since the incident at the landfill operated by Prime Integrated Waste Solutions (PWS) in Barangay Binaliw. He noted that the city continues to rely on temporary measures without a clear long-term solution.
Technical evaluation concerns
Following the deadly slide, the city formed a technical task force to assess the landfill's safety. However, Garganera raised concerns that key offices, including disaster risk reduction and engineering units, were not fully represented in the evaluation. He stressed that without a comprehensive technical assessment of structural stability and foundation integrity, it cannot be determined whether the facility is safe for full-scale operations.
Reopening Binaliw debated
Garganera questioned the city's changing position on reopening the Binaliw landfill. He noted earlier discussions about a “partial lifting” of the cease-and-desist order issued by the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) 7, allowing limited operations. “If there is already clearance, then why are we still not fully utilizing the facility?” he asked.
Mayor Nestor Archival explained that the city is complying with EMB directives and has not fully returned to the PWS landfill due to continuing objections and concerns from the January tragedy. Despite this, Archival maintained that reopening Binaliw remains the best option to stabilize waste disposal.
Soaring disposal costs
The decision to haul garbage outside Cebu City has created a massive financial burden. Before the slide, the city spent about P1,100 per ton to dispose of 600 tons daily at Binaliw. Now, it hauls roughly 1,000 tons each day to Aloguinsan and other areas at P3,906 per ton. Monthly expenses have surged from P19.8 million to about P117.18 million. Archival described the situation as unsustainable, saying the city is “bleeding P2.1 million every day.”
Rising garbage volume questioned
Garganera also questioned the jump in daily waste volume from 600 tons to 1,000 tons despite existing waste segregation and reduction measures. He cited the EMB's cease-and-desist order against waste transfer operations at the South Road Properties and pointed out that varying cleanup timelines reflect the absence of a stable, long-term waste management strategy.
With millions spent daily and safety concerns lingering, Cebu City faces intense pressure to finalize a safe, affordable, and permanent solution to its growing waste crisis.
