(Binaliw update: 25 dead, 11 missing) Labor groups blame tragedy to waste management failure

CEBU, Philippines — The Binaliw tragedy death toll yesterday rose to 25 with 11 still missing and 18 others injured. Authorities said body no. 24 was a 37-year-old male, and body no. 25 was a 44-year-old male. Both were retrieved yesterday.

Amid this grim statistics, groups of labor and of waste workers stated that the Binaliw landfill collapse was not a natural disaster but denounced it as a man-made failure rooted in years of regulatory neglect, weak enforcement, and political indifference.

“This is not a simple accident,” said the Philippine National Waste Workers Alliance (PNWWA) in a statement sent to The Freeman.

“It is the painful result of long-standing neglect in solid waste management—unsafe, overcapacity landfills, and ignored warnings from waste workers,” they added.

The landfill, operated by Prime Integrated Waste Solutions Inc. in Barangay Binaliw, had a long-standing concern.

AMA Sugbo–Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) chair Jaime Paglinawan questioned whether workers were ever provided with even the most basic protections.

“Do they have SSS, PhilHealth, and PAG-IBIG? Are there regular inspections by MGB-7, DENR-7, EMB-7, CCENRO, and DOLE-7? Could this have been prevented?” he asked.

Paglinawan warned that without a serious, non-partisan investigation, the tragedy risks being buried like the victims themselves—forgotten beneath layers of bureaucracy and impunity.

“Will this, too, turn out to be futile—like the probes into corruption, extrajudicial killings, and confidential fund misuse, where no big fish have been held accountable?” he added.

PNWWA echoed the call for a full, transparent, and independent investigation—not only into the collapse, but into the regulatory lapses that enabled it.

“Every time a landfill fails, it is the waste workers who are buried first,” the group said. “They are the first to be exposed to toxic waste, the last to be protected, and too often, the ones no one listens to.”

The alliance also demanded immediate medical, psychosocial, and livelihood assistance for affected families, and the urgent passage of the Magna Carta for Waste Workers (House Bill 6413) and amendments to the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Law (House Bill 5221), which would criminalize gross violations that result in injury or death.

Cebu Archbishop Abet Uy visited the site ahead of the city’s official Day of Mourning, offering Mass and prayers for the dead and the missing yesterday. He shared with The Freeman the anguish of families still waiting for answers.

“One woman told me, ‘Wa pa siya makit-e. Ugma iya’ng birthday,’” Uy said, referring to a wife still hoping her husband would be found alive on his birthday.

Another woman had just identified her partner’s body while a parent of a missing nurse could only whisper: “Tinuod, nisalig ko sa Ginoo. Pero bug-at gyud kaayo.”

The Cebu City Council has declared today, January 16, 2026, as a Day of Mourning. All flags will be flown at half-mast in accordance with Republic Act No. 8491.

The Cultural and Historical Affairs Office has urged the public to pause, remember, and stand in solidarity with the victims and their families. But for those who stood at the edge of the landfill, watching the search continue, remembrance is not enough.

Archbishop Uy said: “Kon naa gyu’y kapakyasan o kakulangon, kinahanglan gyud nga makit-an. kay kon dili ta muangkon, dakong puruhan nga ang sayop mabalik.”

The collapse at Binaliw is no longer just a local tragedy. It is a national test of whether lives lost to neglect will be met with silence—or with change.

President Marcos vows government aid, accountability

Amid prayers for the victims, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. vowed accountability, transparency, and government assistance following the deadly trash slide at the Binaliw Landfill in Cebu City.

Marcos made the statement during the shipbuilding event in Balamban, Cebu, where he opened the program by calling for a moment of silence for the victims of the January 8 landfill incident.

“Before we start, let us take a moment of silence for the victims of the landfill incident in Barangay Binaliw,” said Marcos. “As search and rescue operations continue, we offer our prayers for the souls of the departed and strength for their grieving families,” he added.

The President assured the public that the national government is taking concrete steps to address the aftermath of the incident, emphasizing safety, transparency, and accountability in government’s response.

“Please be assured that the government is taking all necessary measures to ensure safety, transparency, accountability, and compassionate assistance,” the president noted, adding that burial support and other forms of aid are already being extended to affected families.

He also called on Filipinos to stand together during what he described as a difficult time for the victims and their loved ones, stressing the importance of unity in the face of tragedy. “Let us stand in solidarity with our fellow Filipinos during this difficult time,” the President said.

In a separate interview, Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro who was present during the event, shared that Marcos personally asked her about the situation in Binaliw, particularly on the progress of rescue and recovery operations.

“Wala ta niya biyae in the times of needs, especially karon sa Binaliw. He was kind of brokenhearted sa nangyari doon,” Baricuatro said. — (FREEMAN)