Mayor to form body to assess landfill use

CEBU, Philippines —  Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival has drafted an executive order that sets out temporary rules for garbage disposal and safety checks at the Prime Waste run Binaliw landfill, and the creation of a “Waste Crisis Task Force” to protect city drivers, haulers, and personnel who may eventually be sent back to the site.

The order was drawn up after the Department of Environment and Natural Resources gave partial approval for limited operations at Binaliw, despite the deadly landslide earlier this year that killed 36 people and injured 18 others.

Archival, in his regular press conference yesterday, stressed that Cebu City has not resumed dumping there.

“Very clear, we are not actually throwing garbage to the landfill. What is very important… the concern is the life of every Cebuanos. Mao na-ang safety gyud,” he said.

The mayor said the task force will be composed of representatives from the City Administrator’s Office, the City Environment and Natural Resources Office, the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, the City Legal Office, and the City Health Office, along with independent technical experts, a civil society representative, and a council representative.

The task force will oversee safety checks, coordinate with DENR, and make sure that workers are protected before any return to the landfill is considered.

He added that current hauling to Aloguinsan will continue until the contract is completed, possibly by mid May, and disclosed that another bidding worth ?200–400 million may be needed if Binaliw remains off limits.

Meanwhile, the mayor asked the press not to use the word “crisis” when referring to the city’s current garbage situation, saying it could alarm the public.

“Please don’t use this term ‘crisis,’ because daghan siguro mutan aw, maminaw ninyo, but this isn’t good for the city,” he said.

When asked whether Cebu City would allow partial operations at Binaliw landfill, Archival said, “For the City of Cebu right now, we are not actually bringing our waste there. Not unless this executive order will be pursued and what’s in here should be followed.”

He denied knowledge of actual dumping, saying Prime Waste was only preparing for reopening, though councilors had earlier expressed frustration at being left out of the loop.

Archival also defended the city’s current garbage collection. He said the streets remain clean despite problems in some barangays.

The mayor then urged the public to help by not littering.

“If you are going to look at the cleanliness daily, especially after 6:00 or 7:00, it’s so clean. The main roads are clean. But by 10 or 11 o’clock, hugaw na sad kaayo. That’s why we need the people’s help,” he said.(CEBU NEWS)