Pasil cleanup raises fresh SRP dumping concerns

CEBU, Philippines —  The coastline of Barangay Pasil is now visibly cleaner, but concerns persist after garbage collected from the area was allegedly dumped at the South Road Properties (SRP), a site environmental advocates say should also be protected.

Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival inspected the Pasil shoreline over the weekend and reported that 90 percent of the area had already been cleared through the combined efforts of the Cebu City Government, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-7, and the barangays of Pasil and Ermita.

Archival said the remaining 10 percent of the cleanup is expected to be completed within the week, stressing that the operation is not merely cosmetic but part of a genuine effort to restore the shoreline.

“Gisugdan ni nato niadto padulong ang ASEAN Summit unya ato gyung gipaninguha nga kaning areaha malimpyohan. Now, 90 percent wala na ang garbage. Kaning 10 percent, we hope nga within seven days mahuman ni nato together with DPWH, the City Government, Barangay Pasil, ug Barangay Ermita. Mao gyud niy nagpush nga malimpyohan,” Archival said.

He added that notices would be issued to barangays along the Guadalupe River to help prevent garbage from being washed into waterways leading to Pasil.

“Tagaan natog notice ang ubang mga barangay na naa giagiagan sa sapa nga ilang tabangan nga dili malabay ang mga garbage kay mudaghan na sad ni dinhi,” he added.

Despite the cleanup, residents and environmental advocates pointed out that dredged mud and garbage from Sitio Mahayahay were allegedly transferred near SRP’s Pond A, which they said has once again become a dumpsite despite earlier declarations that it had already been cleared.

“Sakto na unta, sayup lang diay gihapon,” one advocate said, expressing fears that the cleanup operation merely displaced the problem instead of resolving it.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) had earlier prohibited Cebu City from dumping garbage at SRP, citing violations of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.

In a Jan. 15, 2026 letter, the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB)-7 said the site’s proximity to Pond A and nearby waters posed risks of contamination and leachate seepage.

The DENR stressed that waste facilities are prohibited near water bodies to protect ecosystems and public health, adding that SRP lacks the environmental safety buffers and infrastructure required for a compliant transfer station.

Environmental experts also warned that the mangroves surrounding Pond A make the area ecologically sensitive.

Mangroves serve as natural barriers against storm surges, flooding, and coastal erosion while also functioning as breeding grounds and nurseries for fish, crustaceans, and birds. Their root systems help filter pollutants and trap sediments, protecting water quality as well as nearby coral reefs and seagrass beds.

They also play a vital role in sustaining local fisheries and food security in coastal communities.

Advocates said the piling of garbage near mangrove areas threatens these ecological functions and undermines Cebu’s coastal resilience.

Less than two months after Archival declared Pond A free of trash, drone footage and site inspections reportedly showed large heaps of mixed waste once again accumulating in the area, with garbage piles encroaching on mangrove zones.

Councilor Pastor “Jun” Alcover Jr. has filed a resolution urging the City Council’s Committee on Environment to investigate the re-accumulation of garbage at SRP, assess compliance among haulers and barangays, and identify sustainable waste disposal solutions.

The resolution, expected to be tackled this week, also calls for the protection of mangrove ecosystems, transparency in garbage hauling contracts, and measures to prevent SRP from permanently becoming a dumpsite.

The SRP facility was originally intended only as a temporary transfer station following the collapse of the Binaliw landfill in January 2026, an incident that killed 36 workers and one rescuer.

After briefly disposing of waste in Consolacion, Cebu City has since been hauling between 600 and 1,000 tons of garbage daily to Aloguinsan at a cost of ?3,906 per ton, significantly higher than the ?1,100 per ton previously charged at Binaliw.

Despite the allocation of ?400 million under Supplemental Budget No. 1 and an existing ?517 million budget for solid waste management, the city is still facing a projected billion-peso funding gap.

Archival has already met with several councilors to discuss the city’s worsening garbage disposal problem and expressed hope that the City Council would take up the issue during its next session .(CEBU NEWS)