Signature drive vs WTE facility

CEBU, Philippines — Residents of Barangay Binaliw have formally launched a petition opposing any plan to establish a waste-to-energy (WTE) facility in their community, a move spurred by recent pronouncements from local officials and deepened by the painful legacy of the landfill that has long defined the barangay’s struggles with waste.

The petition, addressed to Barangay Captain Viviene Ruste and furnished to the Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival, the City Council led by Vice Mayor Tomas Osmeña, and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), asserts that Binaliw has already borne disproportionate burdens from waste infrastructure.

Signatories recall the January 8 tragedy at the Prime Waste landfill, where 36 workers lost their lives, as a defining moment that stresses the dangers of hosting hazardous facilities.

“The lives lost must never be forgotten,” the petition reads, urging officials to reject WTE proposals and instead pursue closure, rehabilitation, and accountability for the landfill.

Binaliw landfill debate over time

Originally operated by ARN Central Waste Management, the facility was later taken over by Prime Waste Solutions.

From the start, residents complained of foul odors that spread beyond Binaliw to Pit-os and Consolacion, and of violations of environmental laws. At one point, the Environmental Management Bureau fined the operator P50,000 for failing to comply with the Clean Air Act, but operations continued, recalled former barangay councilor Daisy Ybañez in an interview over Ayuman Files in DYRF.

The January 8 collapse transformed long-standing grievances into a tragedy that residents say should have been prevented.

For many, the incident reignited their opposition to any expansion of waste infrastructure in the barangay. The petition was also prompted by recent statements from city officials.

Barangay Captain Ruste earlier told The Freeman she was open to hosting a WTE facility in Binaliw, provided the city could prove it had real plans and infrastructure in place, including road widening and upgrading and what was being presented by WTE advocate and the City Council’s chair on environment committee, City Councilor Joel Garganera, will be strictly followed.

Councilor Pastor “Jun” Alcover Jr. has suggested converting the existing landfill into a WTE site, arguing that since the landfill is already there, it could be repurposed to confront Cebu City’s growing garbage crisis.

Garganera had also reiterated his long-standing call for WTE, warning that Cebu is “running out of space and running out of time” as landfill capacity diminishes.

Mayor Archival, on the other hand, is awaiting for DENR's clear guidelines on WTE after seeing the City's mounting garbage problem. This despite his being an "environmentalist" who earlier expressed being inclined to saying no to WTE.

Garganera, when asked about the petition, reserved his comment for later but remarked that such petitions are “normal” in public discourse, while Archival, Ruste and Alcover are still unavailable, as of presstime.

WTE wrangling not new to Cebu

The city’s earlier P5-billion WTE project was supposed to rise in Barangay Guba, backed by New Sky Energy Philippines.

That proposal faced strong opposition from residents and environmental groups who cited threats to agriculture, toxic emissions, and distrust in assurances of safety. It was eventually shelved after years of delay and resistance.

For Binaliw residents, the Guba experience serves as a reminder that communities can resist incineration-based solutions and push for alternatives.

Former barangay councilor Daisy Ybañez confirmed that residents approached her to help organize the petition.

“Daghan na gyud ang ni-chat ug nangayo ug tabang. Kuha na gyud ang kasakit sa mga nangamatay. Mao nga petition ang ilang gipili nga paagi,” she said, noting that even residents from neighboring areas expressed willingness to sign in solidarity.

Ayuman, a former Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council chair and CCDRMO head, also disclosed that environmental lawyers are preparing to file a writ of kalikasan to halt both the landfill’s operations and any WTE plans.

He welcomed the initiative, recalling similar campaigns in Guba, where public opposition led to the withdrawal of the project.

As signatures continue to be gathered from Binaliw Dos to Sta. Ana, even as far as barangay Panoypoy in Consolacion, residents emphasize that their demand is clear: health, safety, and sustainable governance must take precedence over risky waste projects. — /RAE (FREEMAN)