City working to get DENR clearance to use Block 27 as trash transfer site

CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu City Department of Public Services (DPS) is still trying to secure clearance from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for the use of Block 27 in Barangay Mabolo as a temporary garbage transfer site.

Mayor Nestor Archival’s chief of staff, Kenneth Siasar, during a press briefing, said DPS is currently following up on the clearance.

Siasar clarified that current operations are conducted on the cemented portion of the former Cebu City Quarantine Center (CCQC) and not directly on the ground as in the case of the South Road Properties (SRP) that was earlier ordered closed.

Siasar also explained that garbage is brought by the barangays only at night and cleared by dawn, with backhoes used to compress waste before hauling to Aloguinsan.

He emphasized that the city is implementing the “no touch ground policy” as much as possible and that the site is kept clean by morning.

Last June, DENR EMB Region 7 ordered the closure of the SRP transfer station turned dumpsite after inspectors found violations of Republic Act 9003, the Clean Water Act, and the Clean Air Act.

It was, however, noted that despite the cease and desist order, garbage trucks continued unloading at SRP weeks later. The move raised questions about enforcement and compliance until the mayor ordered the stoppage of operations at SRP.

The city government then resorted to collecting garbage by barangay or by clusters, but it reportedly did not work well, prompting the local government to use a portion of Block 27.

Now, nearby residents and construction workers have complained of odors and questioned how they can formally raise their concerns, while others have warned of potential health risks from the site’s previous use for composting.

The city’s garbage crisis stems from the collapse of the Binaliw landfill in January, which killed 36 workers and forced Cebu City to haul waste to Aloguinsan at triple the cost.

With Cebu City generating 600 to 700 tons of garbage daily, the DPS sees Block 27 as a stopgap measure, meant to serve until a permanent engineered transfer station can be built or until the Binaliw landfill can resume full operation. — /MRM (FREEMAN)