Binaliw landfill operations: DENR lifts halt order

CEBU, Philippines — The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has lifted the cease-and-desist order (CDO) against the Binaliw landfill, but Cebu City’s return to the facility remains uncertain.

Kenneth Siasar, chief of staff of Mayor Nestor Archival, said the city government received official communication from the DENR last week informing them of the full lifting of the CDO against Prime Integrated Waste Solutions, the operator of the Binaliw landfill.

“Last week, we received that communication coming from DENR and then informing the mayor...Actually, copy furnished pa to padong ngari nga full na ang paglift sa cease-and-desist order sa Binaliw,” Siasar said.

The Freeman sought a copy of the lifting order from both the Cebu City Government and the DENR, but as of press time, no document had been furnished. PrimeWaste said it had yet to receive the official order.

A high-placed source, however, said the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) has imposed a daily cap of 500 tons of garbage that the landfill may accept.

Before the January trash slide, the landfill had reportedly been receiving around 1,000 tons of waste daily from Cebu City and neighboring local government units.

The 500-ton ceiling falls short of Cebu City’s daily collection of around 600 to 700 tons of mixed waste. Still, a return to Binaliw would provide relief from the costly hauling of garbage to Aloguinsan.

Siasar, however, stressed that the lifting of the CDO does not automatically mean the city can immediately resume dumping its waste at the site.

“So dili siguro nato ma tan-aw nga full lifting na cease-and-desist order, mu bid sila…Maghuwat lang ta. Pero manghinaot ta ha,” he added, noting that PrimeWaste has not joined the last three bidding rounds.

The landfill has been under strict government oversight since January 8, 2026, when a massive garbage slide buried workers and nearby residents, killing 36 people and injuring 18 others.

The DENR immediately ordered a halt to landfill operations, allowing only rescue and cleanup activities.

A partial lifting of the order followed in May, allowing limited activities under close monitoring.

Siasar said PrimeWaste had previously withheld its participation in the city’s bidding process because the lifting of the CDO was only partial.

“Ang ila sa una… tungod kay partial ang lifting sa cease-and-desist gikan sa DENR, mao ng ilang giawhag ang Mayor nga unta motabang og hangyo sa DENR mao sigurong wala sila mo allow nato. But now considering nga nihatag na og official statement ang DENR nga full na ang lifting sa CDO, so manghinaot ta sa hingtungdan nga company nga again inig bidding nato, moapil na sila tungod kay I think, wa nay rason nga dili nila i-allow ang atong dakbayan nga molabay og basura ngadto,” he said.

Asked about the next bidding schedule, Siasar said it has yet to be set but assured that it would be held soon.

He said he hopes Cebu City can return to Binaliw before the end of the year, depending on PrimeWaste’s decision to participate in the bidding.

“Tabangan nato’g ampo, hangyo… E-courage nato nga unta malamdagan ang huna-huna sa maong kompanya and then moapil na sila sa atong bidding nga pagahimoon,” he said.

While nothing definite has been set on the city’s return to Binaliw, Cebu City continues to haul its garbage to the Aloguinsan landfill, with the Cebu City Quarantine Center (CCQC) serving as a temporary transfer station.

The arrangement has been costly, with hauling expenses reaching millions of pesos daily. The city government also faces the challenge of settling its estimated ?130-million payables with PrimeWaste.

Environmental advocates and some City Council members have urged the DENR to release its full investigation report on the January collapse to ensure accountability and public safety before full-scale landfill operations resume. — (FREEMAN)