As Cebu City waste facility: Toledo landfill eyed

CEBU, Philippines — Admitting that hauling garbage to Aloguinsan is unsustainable and costly, the Cebu City government is negotiating with Toledo City for the use of its landfill after the latest bidding for a solid waste disposal facility failed for lack of bidders.

Kenneth Siasar, chief of staff of Mayor Nestor Archival, said talks are ongoing with Toledo City, whose landfill is designed to accommodate Cebu City’s daily 700 tons of waste.

“Ang atong long-term ana is landfill, that’s why we are currently negotiating with Toledo City naa may landfill diha nila,” Siasar said.

Siasar stressed that hauling garbage to Aloguinsan, about 60 kilometers from Cebu City, is unsustainable.

“If we continue to transport our garbage to Aloguinsan, ma-depleted jud ang atong budget. Mokaon na’g billion in the next two years,” said Siasar.

Siasar clarified that the city still has an existing contract with Pinoy Basurero for garbage disposal in Aloguinsan.

If Prime Waste Solutions re-enters the bidding for the Binaliw facility, the city plans to send garbage from nearby barangays to Binaliw while continuing to haul waste from other areas to Aloguinsan.

“Katong mga neighboring barangays nga duol ra sa Binaliw, mao ni atong ipalabay ngadto. And the rest, we will continue throwing our garbage sa Aloguinsan,” he said.

The city reopened bidding in September for a licensed solid waste disposal facility, with an approved budget of ?99.3 million, but no bidders participated.

This was the fourth failed bidding attempt after Prime Waste Solutions was disqualified in May for incomplete PhilGEPS registration.

Prime Waste has since skipped subsequent bidding rounds while awaiting the full rehabilitation of the Binaliw landfill.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has lifted its cease-and-desist order on Binaliw, but monitoring and compliance issues remain.

Cebu City’s original 2026 garbage budget was ?550 million, but expenses doubled after the Binaliw landfill collapse in January forced the city to haul its garbage to Aloguinsan.

The mayor requested an additional ?500 million, but the City Council approved only ?400 million under Supplemental Budget No. 1, which formed part of an ?800.54-million package.

Daily garbage hauling now costs between ?4.2 million and ?4.5 million, pushing annual expenses to ?1 billion or more.

Officials have warned that if Prime Waste does not participate in the bidding, the city may need another ?100 million to ?200 million supplemental budget to sustain garbage disposal operations through December.- FPL (CEBU NEWS)