Garganera renews call for MRF

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Councilor Joel Garganera has renewed his call for the establishment of Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs), highlighting that the city’s fragile waste system has once again been exposed after the onslaught of Typhoon Tino damaged the Bacayan Bridge and disrupted access to the Binaliw landfill.

Yesterday, Garganera stood before the council to deliver a privilege speech in his capacity as chairman of the Committee on Environment of the City Council. This came as he stressed that the city’s dependence on landfill waste disposal seemed “unsustainable”.

It was in the same speech that Garganera’s resolutions, which encourage businesses to use alternative disposal sites and divert recyclables to junk shops, were unanimously approved.

The council also urged local governments outside Cebu City to advise establishments in their areas to adopt alternative disposal methods while access to the main landfill remains restricted.

Garganera’s privilege speech stemmed from the current struggle of garbage trucks to reach the landfill. According to him, this situation parallels the fact that the city produces around 600 tons of waste daily and highlights the need for Cebu to finally implement MRFs.

He added that the establishment of MRFs is mandated under Republic Act 9003 but remains largely absent in the city.

MRFs sort and process recyclables before they are sold to recycling companies, significantly reducing the volume of waste sent to dumpsites.

Garganera argued that without them, Cebu remains vulnerable to waste-related disasters.

He cited a simple example wherein, if each of the city’s 250,000 households set aside just one plastic bottle weighing ten grams, it would amount to eight tons of plastic diverted from the garbage stream.

“Small actions, multiplied across the city, can make a big difference,” he said.

Garganera also raised concerns about PrimeWaste, the operator of the Binaliw landfill, which had promised to install a real-time monitoring system at City Hall but has yet to deliver.

He questioned whether safeguards are in place to ensure accountability, truck sanitation, and compliance with environmental standards.

He further recommended that PrimeWaste deploy its own trucks inside the landfill to improve efficiency and reduce risks for city garbage trucks.

The councilor also lamented delays in enforcing cease-and-desist orders against quarry operators in mountain barangays, saying unchecked activities worsen traffic, hamper clearing operations, and strain already damaged roads.

While Cebu City already has a solid waste management plan, Garganera said it must be updated to reflect current realities, especially after the collapse of the NewSky joint venture agreement (JVA), which was supposed to provide a long-term disposal solution. With the JVA abandoned, he said segregation, recycling, and MRFs are now more urgent than ever.

Garganera closed by stressing that discipline, coordination, and community participation are essential.

“If we reduce, reuse, recycle, and rethink our habits, we can build a waste system that is more resilient and sustainable,” he said.

Garganera closed his speech by emphasizing that the current situation in Bacayan Bridge is not merely a transport concern but also a reflection that the current waste flow needs “strengthening and diversification.” — /IHM (FREEMAN)