Cebu City in talks with 3 LGUs for permanent waste disposal site

Local

THE 30-day grace period allowing Cebu City to temporarily dump garbage at the Polog landfill in Consolacion town is nearing its end.

Thus, the Cebu City Government is again in active negotiations with Bogo City, Minglanilla, and Aloguinsan to secure a permanent waste disposal site.

Mayor Nestor Archival said the city is intensifying talks with landfill operators in the three local government units (LGUs) to ensure uninterrupted waste collection and disposal once the temporary arrangement in Consolacion expires.

The mayor voiced growing alarm about the Polog landfill buckling under pressure, warning that it's now swallowing trash not just from Cebu City, but from surrounding areas too.

“Labayan man sad gud ang Consolacion sa ubang LGUs,” he said.

Earlier, Archival said he has requested an additional budget to cover higher hauling costs. While the city has funds for tipping fees, the mayor said, transporting waste to farther locations poses a serious financial and logistical burden.

“The problem is the hauling fee because the sites are far,” he said. “For now, we need additional funds.”

He added that the city is studying at least three potential landfill options as interim solutions, while long-term arrangements are still being negotiated.

Cebu City’s waste management crisis worsened after the January collapse of the Binaliw landfill in Barangay Binaliw, which killed at least 36 workers and one volunteer rescuer.

The incident prompted the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Central Visayas (DENR-7) to shut down the facility.

Through its Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), the DENR issued a cease-and-desist order against Prime Integrated Waste Solutions Inc., the landfill operator, citing imminent environmental and safety risks.

Operations were suspended except for rescue, retrieval, cleanup, and stabilization, while the company was ordered to submit a compliance plan within 90 days.

With the Binaliw landfill closed, Cebu City sought temporary relief by disposing of waste at the Polog landfill in Consolacion after Mayor Teresa Alegado allowed limited dumping around two weeks ago.

The arrangement, however, was granted only for 30 days and drew concerns from residents and environmental groups over leachate, odor, and compliance issues.

As the deadline approaches, Archival said the city is racing to finalize agreements with alternative landfill sites to prevent a disruption in garbage collection, especially after the recent Sinulog Festival generated nearly 700 tons of waste citywide. Almost half of the garbage was collected along the parade route alone.

City officials said garbage bins were deliberately limited along the Sinulog route to prevent them from becoming dumping points, with residents and festivalgoers encouraged to manage their own waste and practice proper segregation. Plastics collected during the festivities are set to be recycled.

Meanwhile, the Cebu City Council is set to hold an executive session on January 28 to summon environment regulators and the Binaliw landfill operator as part of its probe into the deadly collapse.

The session aims to hear directly from the DENR-EMB and other concerned agencies on what went wrong and on the city’s next steps.(TGP)