Groups demand accountability, protection after Binaliw trash slide

Local

LABOR and human rights groups are intensifying their calls for accountability and stronger protections following the trash slide at a dumpsite in Barangay Binaliw, Cebu City that has so far claimed 25 lives, left 18 injured, and 131still missing.

The disaster has drawn national attention, with both labor organizations and human rights advocates pointing to unsafe working conditions, inadequate government oversight, and the urgent need for reforms in the waste management sector.

The Alyansa sa mga Mamumuo sa Sugbo–Kilusang Mayo Uno (AMA Sugbo-KMU) extended condolences to the families of the victims and condemned what they described as systemic neglect.

“Garbage collectors and waste workers employed by various LGUs face health hazards every day," Jaime Paglinawan, chairman of AMA Sugbo-KMU, said, in a statement sent to the media on Thursday, Jan. 15.

"They inhale the stench of waste during its collection, transportation, and disposal. We see that they are provided with almost no personal protective equipment," he added.

The labor alliance highlighted several issues that contributed to the tragedy, including whether waste workers received adequate social protection through SSS, PhilHealth, and PAG-IBIG, as well as whether they were compensated with minimum wage, hazard pay, and other benefits.

Paglinawan also questioned whether inspections by government agencies, such as the Mines and Geosciences Bureau, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the Environmental Management Bureau, the Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office, and the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole), were conducted regularly and thoroughly.

AMA Sugbo-KMU urged the passage of House Bill 6413, also known as the proposed Magna Carta for Waste Workers.

The legislation would secure job regularization for workers in both the private sector and LGUs, ensure a living wage, provide adequate personal protective equipment, and offer free vaccinations and vitamins.

It would also mandate allowances such as hazard pay, laundry, transportation, and communication allowances.

Alongside this, the group emphasized the importance of House Bill 5221, which seeks to amend the Occupational Safety and Health Law to criminalize serious violations that result in injury or death, with penalties including fines and imprisonment for employers, contractors, or subcontractors.

Earlier, the Center for Trade Union and Human Rights (CTUHR) echoed these demands, highlighting the ongoing risks at the Binaliw Landfill, which is operated by Prime Integrated Waste Solutions Inc.

The group called on the government to investigate the accountability of the company, as well as the DENR and Dole, noting that the collapse reflects failures in monitoring labor, sanitary, and environmental standards.

Both AMA Sugbo-KMU and CTUHR stressed that this tragedy serves as a stark warning to all local government units and private contractors that they should ensure proper waste management and that protecting the health, safety, and lives of workers must be prioritized.

They urged workers, families, and the public to unite in demanding justice and reforms, arguing that genuine investigations and meaningful change are only possible through collective action.

Prime Integrated Waste Solutions (PWS) Cebu said on Wednesday, Jan. 14, that it has extended financial assistance, psychosocial support, and burial aid to families affected by the landfill collapse.

In a statement, the company said it has covered the medical expenses of injured workers and the burial costs of those who died.

PWS Cebu also provided counseling and other psychosocial services to support affected families.

The company said it shares in the grief of those impacted and acknowledged the disaster’s profound effect on the community.

PWS Cebu activated its Emergency Response Team immediately after the incident and has been coordinating with the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, the Bureau of Fire Protection, national response units, and private partners to carry out safe and intensive search and retrieval operations.

Based on initial assessments, PWS Cebu noted that a combination of seismic activity and heavy rainfall may have triggered the collapse.

A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck Cebu on Sept. 30, 2025, followed by aftershocks, while Typhoon Tino in early November brought prolonged heavy rains.(MyTVCebu)